Quote Of The Day: Robert Kirkman on The Walking Dead

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Television, Image Comics,

"As we were crafting this season, we realized that there was a lot to do with Rick and Carl after that event, so the moment kept moving closer to the beginning of the season until it was in Episode 4. This is the kind of episode that most people would save for the finale, but to have it so early in the season, it's like, 'What comes next?!' It really gives this season a pretty intense drive. It was really jarring, which I think is pretty cool."

- Robert Kirkman, co-creator and executive producer of The Walking Dead

Be sure to check out our other notable quotes!

[Artwork: The Walking Dead]

Read More | TV Guide

The Walking Dead: Season 3 So Far!

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Reviews, Television, Image Comics, Marvel Comics,

Of all the great horror icons - Frankenstein's monster, vampires, mummies and Black Lagoon creatures - my favorites are zombies.

I was a kid when I discovered that comics were forbidden to use the word "zombie" if they wanted the Comics Code Authority's Seal of Approval (so Marvel revived an old Robert E. Howard word "Zuvembie" as a workaround). So it should be no surprise that I’ve loved me some Walking Dead ever since the first comic appeared on the stands. I’m a sucker for horror comics and it hit me at just the right time. Also, Kirkman was telling his horrific story in a very intriguing way - bad stuff was happening, characters you liked were going to die, and it was hard to peg just where it was all going.

(Spoilers after the jump!)

Click to continue reading The Walking Dead: Season 3 So Far!

Keeping Up With The Frank Millers

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Reviews, Television, DC Comics,

Frank Miller Sued by Former Assistant...
     -- News Item

In the tradition of Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo, legendary comic book artist Frank Miller appears tonight on TLC in the premiere of his own reality show: Meet the Millers.

In the debut episode, the award-winning creator and his current girlfriend Kimberly Cox interview a new assistant by testing her coping skills with hammers, phones and how many times she can watch the great one’s trifecta: Robocop 2, Robocop 3 and The Spirit.

Then hijinks ensue as Kimberly heads to a Korean deli to demand to speak to “kimchi,” whom she presumes is the owner, while Frank gives us a sneak preview of his latest graphic novel: The Right Winger & Hippie Puncher, a clever reworking of a rejected DC Comics pitch for The Dark Knight Returns Some More graphic novel.

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Walking Dead: Season 3 Premiere

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Reviews, Television, Image Comics,

Oh Walking Dead, you make this so difficult! That’s because it’s hard to write about The Walking Dead without giving anything away.

Season 3 just debuted on AMC and so much happened that's gasp-worthy and intriguing in a "What's next?" kinda way that to write it out is to spoil it for anyone who DVR'd it. Sure, a bunch of zombies get killed, things aren’t quite what they seem, and Carl’s getting pretty handy with a gun and hand-to-hand zombie-fighting is pretty intense (I could probably do it if I had to, but I'd almost certainly be bad at it).

Click to continue reading Walking Dead: Season 3 Premiere

Bullet In The Face: Alan Spencer & Alex Maleev

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

One of the shows that I'm really looking forward to is Alan Spencer's Bullet In The Face. It debuts on IFC on August 16.

And why am I looking forward to it? Just one reason, really: it's Alan Spencer. He created the great Sledge Hammer! sitcom and based solely on that, he gets a free pass from me for life - I'll check out anything he's involved in. Plus, this stars Eddie Izzard and Eric Roberts.

To promote his new show, Alan took to Facebook and posted the following: "Here’s something I’m proud to share. IFC’s publicity team made a classy move by commissioning Alex Maleev to create this artwork for Bullet In The Face. The artist cited Robert McGinnis' posters for James Bond as an inspiration, making this doubly meaningful… or shall I say 007 meaningful."

Maleev, of course, is perhaps best known for his work on Daredevil with Brian Bendis. Looking at his poster for BITF, all I can think is that he should do more.

Click to continue reading Bullet In The Face: Alan Spencer & Alex Maleev

New This Fall: DC Comics’ Arrow

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,

As you all know by now, Green Arrow has finally gotten his own series. Only they’ve had to shorten it to just Arrow for reasons known only to Television Network Naming Executives.

Maybe that’s the secret to getting comic books on television though. Dropping the first part of their name must make them more dynamic and appealing.

Green Arrow sounds sort of old-fashioned and comic booky. But Arrow is hip and full of power and urgency.

With that in mind, I’d like to propose my own list of 10 classic DC characters that could easily be on TV with new dynamic - and shortened - names:

10. Twins

9. Miracle

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Comic Book Jobs: Concept Artist

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Movies, Television,

Who wouldn’t want to work in New Zealand (that’s the place where Peter Jackson filmed Lord Of The Rings).

Oktobor Animation is now accepting “portfolio and reel submissions for super-cool digital concept artists for pre-production including character, prop, and environment design on interactive, transmedia and CG animation projects.”

That’s fine, but what kind of thing are they looking for? They’d “love to see fantastical and epic environments, creatures, stylized characters, robots, vehicles, etc.”

If that sounds like a lot like comic book work, you’re not far off. Concept art for movies, TV shows and animation looks a lot like comic book art. And what are comic book artists if not conceptual artists?

Applicants need to be self motivated, and able to adapt to different styles with a great sense of lighting, color and composition. But my favorite is this: “a strong knowledge of anatomy and proportion, human and creature.”

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Read More | Concept Artist

Comic Book Jobs: Cartoon Network

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Television,

Cartoon Network, the home of Adventure Time, Ben 10, and Scooby Doo, is looking for some helping for the Spring.

It’s all part of their Spring 2012 Intern Program. It’s 12 weeks, 15-20 hours per week. No money, and course credit is optional (it helps if you’re somehow majoring in Animation or a related field).

You’ll be doing all the usual (and occasionally horrible) intern tasks, but you’ll be jumping into the deep end of the animation pool. Cartoon Network’s Internship Program “exposes students to a variety of duties and provides valuable knowledge of the industry. Students may have the opportunity to learn and observe a number of functions within the production department. They will be exposed to all aspects of a traditionally animated series.

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Comic Book Jobs: Nickelodeon

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Television,

If you can draw comics, the theory goes, you can also be a storyboard artist.

In fact, many comic book artists also do double-duty as storyboard guys. Stephen DeStefano is one. Keith Giffen is another.

If you have storyboard experience, then Nickelodeon is looking for you.

They need a storyboard artist on their hit show: T.U.F.F. Puppy, created by Butch Hartman.
 

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Steven Moffat’s Sherlock Holmes: England Wins

Posted by Tom Mason Categories: Editorials, Television,

Like many people, I tuned into the BBC's first series of new Sherlock Holmes adventures - Sherlock - out of curiosity.

Steven Moffat (Doctor Who; Coupling) and Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen; Poirot; Doctor Who) were involved and anything they do is on my “Check This Out” list.

I don’t have a great love for the classic Sherlock Holmes of Arthur Conan Doyle - I grew up watching Basil Rathbone’s Holmes fight Nazis so everything’s fair game with me.

So I watched all three episodes of Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, and loved them all. Brilliantly told, well-acted, modernized, and yet in keeping the parts of Holmes that I enjoy, and dropping in knowing nods to the Doyle stories.

Click to continue reading Steven Moffat’s Sherlock Holmes: England Wins

Read More | Cinema Blend