Tuesday, April 30, 2013

04.30.2013 - ARCHIE COMICS FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2013

Saturday, May 4th is FREE COMIC BOOK DAY and Archie Comics is once again proud to participate, offering up a flipbook featuring both Mega Man and Sonic the Hedgehog and, for the first time ever, a WORLD OF ARCHIE DIGEST. 

We’ve also got Archie creators doing signings and sketches in eleven different states all over the country!

Archie is providing a FREE WORLD OF ARCHIE DIGEST. At nearly 100 pages of FREE content, it’s the most FREE content you can get on Free Comic Book Day!

The free SONIC THE HEDGEHOG AND MEGA MAN flipbook is the prelude to the epic WORLDS COLLIDE crossover where the video game icons cross paths for the first time! It is scripted by Ian Flynn and features brand new cover art by Ben Bates.

For more details on what the Free Comic Book Day issues have in store, read on below:





WORLD OF ARCHIE DIGEST
Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead! The world’s most famous teenagers for over seven decades are all here in this FREE digest! Packed with non-stop laughs and gaffs that the Riverdale gang is known for, we challenge you to find a Free Comic Book Day offering with more pages than this! The perfect introduction to the world of Archie and friends, this digest is a great primer to the double digests that Archie Comics are known for. Filled with stories from some of the best creators in the business, this is the one to pick up on Free Comic Book Day!






SONIC THE HEDGEHOG / MEGA MAN FLIPBOOK


(W) Ian Flynn (A) Ryan Jampole & Various (CA) Ben Bates
“Worlds Collide: PRELUDE” – It’s TWO free comic books in ONE! Just in time for the start of the epic Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man crossover event, “Worlds Collide,” comes a primer issue exclusively for Free Comic Book Day! Witness the journey these two epic heroes from both Sega and Capcom took to finally meet each other – Mega Man’s journey chronicled on one side, and Sonic the Hedgehog’s on the other! This is the must-have primer for the biggest comic book event of 2013 – as video game icons Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man meet for the very first time anywhere – featuring art from both Sonic and Mega Man comic book fame!

 
04.30.2013 - Actor Robert Downey, Jr. and Marvel Entertainment Celebrate Release of Marvel’s “Iron Man 3” with NYSE Opening Bell® on April 30



Who/What:     
Actor Robert Downey, Jr., along with executives from Marvel Entertainment, LLC, visited the New York Stock Exchange this morning (April 30) and rang The Opening Bell® to highlight the U.S. release of Marvel’s highly anticipated film, “Iron Man 3,” on May 3.

When/Where:
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
NYSE Security Checkpoint/Tent at Corner of Exchange Place and Broad Street
9:00 a.m. Media escorted into the building
9:30 a.m. The Opening Bell rings/photo opps

Contact:
Media interested in covering the event MUST contact Judy Shaw at 212.656.4290 or jshaw@nyx.com.

Photos/B-roll/ Opening Bell Footage:
Photos available via Associated Press/New York (212.621.1902), Reuters America (646.223.6285), Getty Images (646.613.4141), Bloomberg Photo (212.617.3420), European Press Agency (917.670.1323) and Insider Images.  B-roll of the NYSE trading floor (starting at 9:25 a.m.) and The Opening Bell (starting at 9:29:45 a.m.) will be available via Encompass loop #4009. Media seeking footage via The Switch should contact NYSE Broadcast at 212.656.5483.

About “Iron Man 3”
Marvel's Iron Man 3 pits brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man against an enemy whose reach knows no bounds. When Stark finds his personal world destroyed at this enemy's hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. This journey, at every turn, will test his mettle. With his back against the wall, Stark is left to survive by his own devices, relying on his ingenuity and instincts to protect those closest to him. As he fights his way back, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale with Jon Favreau and Ben Kingsley, Marvel’s Iron Man 3 is directed by Shane Black from a screenplay by Drew Pearce & Shane Black and is based on Marvel's iconic Super Hero Iron Man, who first appeared on the pages of "Tales of Suspense" (#39) in 1963 and had his solo comic book debut with "The Invincible Iron Man" (#1) in May of 1968.

Marvel's Iron Man 3 is presented by Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures and DMG Entertainment. Marvel Studios' President Kevin Feige is producing and Jon Favreau, Louis D'Esposito, Charles Newirth, Victoria Alonso, Stephen Broussard, Alan Fine, Stan Lee and Dan Mintz are executive producers. The film releases May 3, 2013, and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

About Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years.  Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. (Source: Marvel.com)

Monday, April 29, 2013

04.29.2013 - "Castle" actress (and birthday girl) Stana Katic discusses voicing Lois Lane in "Superman: Unbound"

CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO OF THIS INTERVIEW


Based on the Geoff Johns/Gary Frank 2008 release "Superman: Brainiac," SUPERMAN: UNBOUND finds the Man of Steel aptly handling day-to-day crime while helping acclimate Supergirl to Earth’s customs and managing Lois Lane’s expectations for their relationship. Personal issues take a back seat when the horrific force responsible for the destruction of Krypton – Brainiac – begins his descent upon Earth. Brainiac has crossed the universe, collecting cities from interesting planets – including Supergirl’s home city of Kandor – and now the all-knowing, ever-improving android has his sights fixed on Metropolis. Superman must summon all of his physical and intellectual resources to protect his city, the love of his life and his newly-arrived cousin.


Produced by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation, SUPERMAN: UNBOUND film arrives May 7, 2013 from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment as a Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD, On Demand and for Digital Download.
04.29.2013 - INFINITY – Marvel Unveils Variant Cover by MARKO DJURDJEVIC!

This August, the Marvel Universe prepares for the biggest battle it’s ever faced – but first, Marvel is proud to unveil the jaw dropping variant cover to Infinity #1 by Marko Djurdjevic! Infinity, the six part blockbuster comic event of the summer, brought to you by the star studded creative team of Jonathan Hickman, Jim Cheung, Jerome Opena & Dustin Weaver, takes fans to every corner of the Marvel Universe, and beyond! Earth has been marked as an “Avengers World”, protected by Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and more from the deadliest threats facing humanity. A powerful and destructive race is on a collision course with Earth and the only thing in their path is the Avengers! But even Earth’s Mightiest Heroes realize the one hope of defeating this dire threat is to unite every great hero across the cosmos…because only with a united Avengers Universe is there any chance of survival!

With our heroes at the other end of the universe, who is left to protect Earth? Enter Thanos, the galaxy’s most ruthless threat and an unparalleled force of brutality who brings order to the chaos of life through murder. The greatest threat to the Mad Titan’s work—and perhaps the universe’s greatest hope—is something he created leaving no world safe. Earth’s last hope may lie in the hands of a man who can level cities with a single whisper – Black Bolt, king of the Inhumans. But can the fearsome leader of a race hated and feared by his world,  lead his people against Thanos? If they fall, so does the Earth—and the entire universe with it.

Readers get their first look at Marvel’s Infinity for free on Saturday, May 4th as part of Free Comic Book Day with FCBD: Infinity. In this all-new story by the blockbuster creative team of Jonathan Hickman and Jim Cheung, witness the opening shots of the war that will be heard around the galaxy. Plus, relive Thanos’ first solo story which has never been reprinted till now!

Every issue of Infinity includes a code for a free digital copy of that same comic on the Marvel Comics app for iOS and Android devices. Additionally, each issue of Infinity features special augmented reality content available exclusive through the Marvel AR app – including cover recaps, behind the scenes features and more that add value to your reading experience at no additional cost.

The Biggest Heroes.  The Biggest Threats. The Biggest Sacrifices. This is Marvel’s INFINITY.

For more on Marvel’s Infinity, please visit www.marvel.com. Join the conversation on Twitter with hashtag #MarvelINFINITY and don’t forget to follow us at @Marvel [www.twitter.com/Marvel]!

To find a comic shop near you, visit www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook.

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information visit www.marvel.com

Sunday, April 28, 2013



04.26.2013 - RON ELY DISCUSSES TARZAN, DOC SAVAGE FOR WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION RELEASE

In the late 1960s and early 70s, few actors stood as tall in their heroic roles as Ron Ely.

From television's Tarzan to the big screen's Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, Ely's 6-foot-4-inch muscular frame made the scenery cower when he stepped before a camera.

The 74-year-old actor stands just as tall today, commanding audiences with his tales of those golden days of pulp fiction on film. Warner Archive Collection has brought Ely's best-loved roles back into the spotlight, making the classic titles available on DVD and through its new live-streaming service, Warner Archive Instant.

Premiering on NBC in 1966, Edgar Rice Burroughs' immortal creation, Tarzan, took to the nation's TV screens for the first time. Still in the capable hands of producer Sy Weintraub, the TV Tarzan (the aforementioned Mr. Ely) continued the more recent (and more authentic) interpretation of Lord Greystoke as a sophisticated, articulate jungle adventurer as seen in the Tarzan films of Gordon Scott, Jock Mahoney and Mike Henry. Also carried over from the big screen was young actor Manuel Padilla (Tarzan and the Valley of Gold, Tarzan and the Great River), now playing the jungle lord's kid sidekick alongside Cheetah, the simian one.

Based on the first of Kenneth Robeson's 181 adventure packed books, Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze hit the screen with all its gee-whiz, gung-ho spirit intact. And its bold protagonist, who along with having a herculean body is also a surgeon, linguist and inventor, remains determined to do right to all and wrong to no one. Ely plays the strapping Savage in this high-camp, big-heroics tale of his trek into the Valley of the Vanished to confront the power-hungry Captain Seas (Paul Wexler). And behind the camera are pros who know how to get the most out of this entertainment bronze mine: veteran fantasy film producer George Pal (The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine) and director Michael Anderson (Around the World in 80 Days, Logan's Run).

Once reluctant to embrace his cult hero status, Ely has joined Warner Archive Collection at two major events over the past six months - at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles, and WonderCon in Anaheim – to celebrate those cherished productions of 40-plus years ago.

In addition to Ely's starring roles, Warner Archive Collection is now offering a number of classic films and television series representative of the pulp heroes of yesteryear. Included amongst those productions are the Tarzan Collections (the most recent featuring films of the 1960s: Tarzan Goes to India, Tarzan's Three Challenges, Tarzan and The Valley of Gold, Tarzan and the Great River, Tarzan and the Jungle Boy) and Bomba The Jungle Boy, Volume One.

The Bomba release includes six of these rare films, which were released from 1949-51. Monogram pictures made an inspired choice when it opted to adapt the Stratemeyer Syndicate's (Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Tom Swift) series of books with Bomba the Jungle Boy and paired it up with Tarzan's own now grown "Boy," Johnny Sheffield. Under the leadership of newbie producer Walter Mirisch, the series skillfully blends stock photography, imaginative scripts and teen romance to deliver A-list fun on a B-list budget (and proving to be a smash hit for the studio). Fellow former child-star Peggy Ann Garner provides for Bomba's jungle distraction in the inaugural installment, while other guests of note to be found in the first six films in the series include Allene Roberts, Donald Woods, Paul Guilfoyle, Sue England, Woody Strode, and Donna Martell. Silent-to-TV-era journeyman Ford Beebe directs all six.

But back to Mr. Ely, who took some time in conjunction with his appearance at WonderCon over Easter weekend to answer a few questions. Heed the words of Tarzan...

QUESTION: What are you impressions of pulp heroes?

RON ELY: When I was a kid, we had radio, we had Saturday morning serials, and we had comic books. It wasn't like today - we had a limited array of things, but those things especially appealed to kids. I loved comic books, and I read a lot of them. Archie, Superman, Captain Marvel - those types.

Part and parcel of being a kid back then was to latch onto larger than life heroes. It wasn’t until we became adults that our hero image became more adult and humanized with flaws. Back then, they had no flaws - our heroes were the biggest, the baddest, and the most honorable. All those principles set in motion everything that followed suit for me.
Doc Savage was one of the most successful series of books - the character was one of the triumvirate of great action heroes, along with Tarzan and Superman. Those three really set the standard for pulp heroes. It's interesting that Warner Archive has all three of them - they're like a superhero factory. I can't think of anybody that can compare.

QUESTION: As a kid, who were your heroes?

RON ELY: I grew up in Amarillo, Texas, so my heroes were cut from the same cloth that I saw all around me. Cowboys like John Wayne and Bob Mitchum. One of the joys of getting into this business was that I actually got to know some of my heroes. Those western, heroic characters occupied my interests in film more than any others. I loved the comic book and pulp heroes, but for me, you couldn't beat John Wayne.

QUESTION: What does it mean to you to be a hero?

RON ELY: It's sort of a funny thing being called a hero, because it's not something I wanted to do. But it just kept coming for me. I don't really understand why, but I appreciate it because I think it might have grown out of my sticking to the solid, basic principles I learned growing up. Those important characteristics tend to exist more in the superhero characters than other flawed adult characters. I always enjoyed playing the flawless characters because, whereas some folks find them corny, I appreciate the morals, the lessons, and all those things that superheroes are designed to be and represent.

QUESTION: What has prompted you to come out of your shell a bit and embrace the fans and the fan conventions?

RON ELY: I used to hate being around the fans - I avoided it like the plague. I enjoyed the anonymity. That's why I pretty well dropped off the face of the Earth for quite a long time. But getting back out into the public again has been one of the most rewarding experiences that I can imagine. Those fans are diehard. They hang on, they don't let go. They believe in Doc and Tarzan - they believe in them in a way that makes you want to know more about them.

It was surprising to me to find out the fans are still there, to discover the fan base is so enormous. It surprised to see younger people in that mix who weren't around when I made Tarzan. It's a kick for me. I enjoy seeing those people and hearing what they have to say. They embrace these characters for the right reasons. It's not a character like in Die Hard - characters like Doc Savage, Tarzan and Superman are more pure superheroes. There's a special group of characters, and a special group of people that remain true to those characters as fans.

For more information on Warner Archive Collection new and current releases, go to shop.warnerarchive.com

Friday, April 26, 2013

04.26.2013 - New Blog site

04.26.2013 - NEW BLOG VERSION OF CYBERTOON!

Hello I am experimenting with a new blog version of the site.  It will be easier for me to update.  Let me know what you think.  All the old news will still be up on the OLD SITE for now.  All new posts will be featured on here now.