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Norm Breyfogle: Batman Beyond Unlimited

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

Batman Beyond UnlimitedI’ve loved Norm Breyfogle’s art ever since I first saw it years ago when he was drawing Batman.

Later on, I got to meet him when he was drawing Prime for Malibu Comics’ Ultraverse (he designed the character and I was lucky enough to be around to see all his sketches).

Still later, I got to work with him directly when he did some character designs for a superhero project that Chris Ulm and I were pitching around.

Now, after some time working for Archie Comics, Norm is back on Batman in the newly relaunched Batman Beyond Unlimited title from DC, edited by another pal Jim Chadwick.

The first issue goes on sale in February, and Norm posted an interior page from it on Facebook (you can see it over there on your right).

Click to continue reading Norm Breyfogle: Batman Beyond Unlimited

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Cartoon Voiceovers: Be The Joker

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Television,

Stevie VallanceDo you have what it takes to be the voice of Batman? Or are you more Twilight Sparkle?

Either way, if you’ve ever asked yourself, “How can I break into the wonderful world of voice-acting?” there’s a class that might have your answer.

My pal, actress and voice director, Stevie Vallance has been doing cartoon voices for some time. We just finished working together on a show that's coming up later this year on Nicktoons.

It was a real treat to watch her in the booth, bringing out the best performance from our actors and helping them breathe life into the words on the page.

When she’s not doing that, Stevie runs a series of voice-over workshops called Tooned In! Animation Voice-over Acting Workshops.

Click to continue reading Cartoon Voiceovers: Be The Joker

Read More | Tooned In

DC’s New Reboot: Top 10 Comments

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

DC RelaunchReboot, relaunch, retcon.

The comics industry is full of fun words that mean the same thing: sales tool.

In case you've been living in a house with a mortgage and haven't heard the news yet, DC Comics is taking their entire comic book universe back to some sort of beginning and starting all over again.

It's a great strategy because I think we all know hundreds of fans that have been avoiding comic books because of how high the issue #'s are.

And as part of the same announcement, DC's switching to same day digital release of their printed comics, so I don't have to rush to the comic book store.

Naturally, everyone's talking about this bold move and not just on Twitter and Facebook. Here's a rundown of the Top 10 Things That People Are Saying about DC's new initiatives:

10. Finally! A reboot that changes everything forever! ZOMG!

9. Now I can bitch about DC's titles on the same device I read them on!

Click to continue reading DC’s New Reboot: Top 10 Comments


Weekend Reading: Borders, Barnes & Noble, Batman & Thor

NookBorders Books is finding no takers in its quest for a buyer, so unless a miracle happens, they’re probably toast.

So it’s a good thing they paid all those retention bonuses to people who can’t make anything happen for them.

Their main brick-and-mortar competition, Barnes & Noble, is currently looking like the smartest girl in class. They’ve gotten a $1 billion (with a “b”) offer from Liberty Media.

They probably aren’t interested in the books or the stores, but since Liberty has a lot of old school media holdings, the one thing they lack for modern-day exploitation is Nook technology.

Let’s go elsewhere for good reading:

Batman: Want to know a cool digital-only comic you could be reading for just 99¢? DC’s got one: Batman: Arkham City #1 by Paul Dini & Derek Fridolfs and artist Dustin Nguyen.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Borders, Barnes & Noble, Batman & Thor


DC’s 99¢ Batman: Arkham City #1

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Video Games, DC Comics,

Batman Arkham CityWant to know a comic you could be reading for just 99¢?

DC’s got one: Batman: Arkham City #1 by Paul Dini & Derek Fridolfs and Dustin Nguyen.

The first chapter in this multi-chapter storyline pits Batman against Hugo Strange who's pitching Arkham City as "Gotham's ultimate solution to crime."

Click to continue reading DC’s 99¢ Batman: Arkham City #1


The Mighty Thor Scores!

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

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.

Click to continue reading The Mighty Thor Scores!


Weekend Reading: Blackbeard, Superman, Toth & Guindon

PopeyeI was saddened to hear about the recent death of comics historian Bill Blackbeard. Tom Spurgeon had recently written about him and how he deserved a spot in the Eisner’s Hall of Fame this year. That prompted me to (1) agree immediately with Tom and then (2) write about my own dealings with Mr. Blackbeard.

I didn’t know that by then he had already passed. Tom has the best obituary, if such things can be defined by that term.

Fantagraphics’ Gary Groth shares some personal memories plus tributes from others.

Sparkplug has an interview with him from a while ago that’s first rate.

What a heartbreaker. The guy literally and single-handedly saved newspaper comics from the shredder of history.

Let’s see what else is out there:

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Blackbeard, Superman, Toth & Guindon


Leonardo On CBBC

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Television,

LeonardoAttention Great Britain!

If you're going to be around what you folks call a telly on Monday evening April 11, you might want to check out a TV series called Leonardo that's airing on CBBC at 5:15pm (17:15).

The first episode is called "Anything Goes." UK's Telegraph has already given the show a thumbs up, saying it "has its roots in traditional adventure drama. And thoroughly engaging it is too."

Click to continue reading Leonardo On CBBC


Weekend Reading: Batman, Clint, Shooter, Granito And Rozum!

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

Liberty Unlimited ArtI have an idea for a great drinking game. Surf the internet and every time you come across a link to Bleeding Cool’s expose of Rob Granito, take a drink. You’ll be Lohan’ed before Monday. In the meantime, I await the Bluewater biography of Mr. Swipey McSwipe-swipe.

Let’s see what else is out there:

Batman: The writer Lance Mannion tries to teach his sons about Batman.

Liberty: Writer Martin Powell gets interviewed at Broken Frontier. Subject: his children’s books and The Halloween Legion and Liberty Unlimited, both of which I’m really looking forward to.

Blood: Mark Wheatley, Marc Hempel and Ricky Shanklin’s graphic novel Blood Of The Innocent is marching toward the big screen. Breck Eisner (The Crazies) is attached to direct and Bill Marsilii (Deja Vu) is writing the screenplay. According to Scoop: “The original comic book series set Dracula against Jack the Ripper and was published by Warp in 1985.”

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Batman, Clint, Shooter, Granito And Rozum!


Weekend Reading: Chaykin, Layman, Cunningham & Batman

Dark Horse Presents #1You can’t beat the power of the hammer. There’s a new Thor trailer floating around that feels much more impressive than the earlier Fortress of Solitude one. I’m liking it more and more, even if the big battle in the desert town looks very movie set-ish.

Now let's read some stuff...

Chaykin: Here’s an interview with one of my favorite creators, Howard Chaykin, talking about his upcoming work at Dark Horse.

Chew: Marc-Oliver Frisch at Comics Beat tackles John Layman to the ground and asks him lots of questions about food, comics and work-for-hire.

Smart: I wanted to conduct an interview with Darryl Cunningham, but he’s so smart that it would only serve to point out how not-smart I am. Fortunately, Tom Spurgeon at The Comics Reporter is a smarty and he landed an excellent interview with the creator of Psychiatric Tales.

Batman: The Pullbox talks to my old friend, the comics historian Peter Sanderson. Subject: The Batman TV series from 1966.

Click to continue reading Weekend Reading: Chaykin, Layman, Cunningham & Batman


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