The Official Blog Of Comicpalooza

The Avengers Super Bowl Commercial Preview

2012-01-31T15:57:00.004-06:00

Marvel will be airing a commercial for The Avengers during this Sunday's Super Bowl, and they have released a brief sneak peek at the spot. The Avengers hits theaters in May!

Matthew Vaughn Returns To Direct X-Men: First Class Sequel

2012-01-30T16:51:00.001-06:00

X-Men: First Class was pretty damn good. Not perfect, but a pretty good prequel/reboot of the franchise, and the studio thought so also. Deadline is reporting that director Matthew Vaughn, who directed the film, has officially signed on to direct the sequel as well. It is expected that most of the cast will return also. No word on when the film will see release, but more news expected soon.

The First 3 Minutes OfThe Walking Dead Mid-Season Premiere

2012-01-30T16:48:00.004-06:00

The title says it all....The Walking Dead returns February 12th on AMC.

Get Your Darth Maul 3D Glasses On The Phantom Menace Opening Night!

2012-01-27T15:30:00.000-06:00

Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace opens in 3D on February 10th, and all RealD3D Cinemas showing the movie will be giving away these very cool Darth Maul 3D glasses on opening day, while supplies last. Unlike other 3D glasses, you won't have to return these for recycling or to the trash!

Five New Stills From The Avengers

2012-01-27T15:28:00.002-06:00

Marvel.com has released five new official stills from The Avengers. Nothing spectacularly new here, but worth the look. The Avengers opens in May!

New Prometheus Image

2012-01-26T15:45:00.004-06:00

The buzz behind Prometheus continues to grow, and the studio keeps fueling the fire with new still images like this new one. It tells us so little but keeps us so intrigued. Prometheus hits theaters this summer!

Planet Of The Apes Mondo Posters

2012-01-26T15:43:00.002-06:00

The Mondo company is at it again, this time with some amazing posters from the original Planet Of The Apes saga. Mondo makes these posters for Drafthouse Cinema screenings of classic films, and sells them through their website! Here they are for your viewing pleasure.

New Promo For The Walking Dead's Return

2012-01-25T14:34:00.001-06:00

The Walking Dead returns February 12th and AMC has released this awesome new promo!

Liam Neeson Confirms He Was The Set Of The Dark Knight Rises

2012-01-24T16:59:00.001-06:00

"I can tell you nothing about Dark Knight Rises, seriously … I was on set for maybe an hour-and-a-half and the director didn’t tell me anything of what it’s about … So, I’m being very honest when I say I have no idea what’s going to happen."

This quote comes directly from Liam Neeson himself in a recent interview with Showbiz Spy. He doesn't exactly confirm he is or isn't in The Dark Knight Rises, but rumors had suggested that he was in the movie. Maybe Ra's Al Ghul returns or maybe he doesn't. Maye Neeson is throwing everyone off by adding fuel to the fire. We have until July to find out!

Is Shane Exiting The Walking Dead?

2012-01-24T16:58:00.001-06:00

Rumors hit a month or two ago that one actor on the set of The Walking Dead was unhappy since Frank Darabont had left the show, and that said actor wanted out of his contract. Could that actor be John Bernthal? Bernthal of course plays Shane, and is apparently the front runner to play the lead in Darabont's new television show, L.A. Noir. This certainly doesn't confirm he is the actor who wanted out, but it makes it seem that way. If true, Shane could be exiting the show by the end of season 2!

AMC Hosts Phantom Menace 3D Events In 10 Cities

2012-01-23T15:51:00.002-06:00

AMC Theaters have teamed up with Hasbro and Lucasfilm for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace 3D event nights at 10 of their theaters. The events will take place February 11 at 11 a.m. local time at each location and will feature interactive activities, games, and giveaways at the events. The events will include the following:

--- Exclusive Anakin Skywalker Podracer 3D glasses with ticket purchase, to truly get into the speed and spectacle of 3D Star Wars on the big screen
--- A Hasbro Star Wars Fighter Pods collectible toy with RealD 3D ticket purchase
--- A Lego feature area
--- Darth Maul face-painting; a chance to reveal your inner Sith Lord at long last!
--- Special character appearances for photo opportunities
--- Demonstrations of the upcoming Xbox Kinect Star Wars

The 10 participating theaters are as follows:

Atlanta: AMC Southlake 24
Boston: AMC Loews Liberty Tree Mall 20
Chicago: AMC South Barrington 30
Denver: AMC Highlands Ranch 24
Los Angeles: AMC Tustin 14 at The District, AMC Ontario Mills 30
New York: AMC Empire 25, AMC Garden State 16
Phoenix: AMC Mesa Grand 24
San Francisco: AMC Emeryville Bay Street 16

Resident Evil: Retribution Trailer

2012-01-23T15:49:00.000-06:00

These movies just keep coming, but there must be an audience for them out there. Resident Evil Retribution hits theaters in September.

Empire Covers The Avengers

2012-01-23T15:46:00.002-06:00

The latest issue of Empire Magazine features five different Avengers character covers. Check them out below and find them on news stands this week!

First Look At Riddick

2012-01-20T15:11:00.001-06:00

Vin Diesel has given fans another look at the upcoming film currently known simply as Riddick through his Facebook page. However this time it isn't concept art but our first look at his character in full costume. Riddick is the third film in the story began in Pitch Black, then continued in The Chronicles Of Riddick. Riddick is expected to hit theaters in 2012.

Bone Has A Writer & Director

2012-01-19T15:34:00.000-06:00

Jeff Smith's Bone is one of the best fantasy adventure comic books ever done. If you haven't read it, then you are certainly missing out on what is a well crafted and spectacular story. A film version has been rumored for years, going from animation, to live action with CGI, and so forth. Warner Brother's owns the film rights have hired Patrick Sean Smith to write the film. he is best known for the ABC Family show, Greek. Directing the project will be P.J. Hogan is made the critically well received live action Peter Pan film. No word yet on whether the film will be animated or live action, but more news is expected soon.

Yoda Sells "Vodaphone"

2012-01-18T16:10:00.003-06:00

This British television ad features everyone's favorite green Jedi Master, Yoda, selling a new cell phone service called "Vodaphone"!

Green Lantern The Animated Series Returns In March

2012-01-16T15:43:00.000-06:00

Green Lantern The Animated Series had it's debut with a one hour special back in November. The series is returning in March with a full 26 episode run it would appear. New stills for the show have also been released. Watch Green Lantern The Animated Series on Cartoon Network this March!

A Sneak Peek Of The Walking Dead's Return

2012-01-16T15:40:00.001-06:00

The Walking Dead returns on February 12th! Check out this sneak peek from the return episode, "Nebraska". Also of note, AMC has ordered 16 episodes for season 3 of the show. Season 2 consists of 13 episodes.

Movie Of The Week: Army Of Darkness (1992)

2012-01-13T15:54:00.002-06:00

Welcome to a brand new Movie Of The Week, a new weekly feature at the Blog! How does this differ from Trailer Park, well one it is weekly and two I hope to get interaction from YOU, the Comicpalooza fans. I want you to email me a pick for Movie Of The Week, and I will use them and post those picks as the weeks go by! Email me your picks at comicpaloozablog@yahoo.com! Start thinking of your Movie Of The Week and send it to me!

Army Of Darkness (1992)

Synopsis: A man is accidentally transported to 1300 A.D., where he must battle an army of the dead and retrieve the Necronomicon so he can return home.

Released February 19, 1993 Premiered In 1992 At A Film FEstival
Director: Sam Raimi
Domestic Box Office Gross: $21.5 Million

Running Time: 1 Hours 21 Minutes
Starring: Bruce Campbell & Dead Guys

Why You Should Watch It: It's about as cult classic as you get. For years everyone was hoping for a sequel, but now we are getting a remake of the original Evil Dead, which will probably suck, so for now watch this piece of cinema gold!

First Still From Skyfall

2012-01-13T15:35:00.002-06:00

Empire Magazine has gotten their hands on the first official still image from James Bond's next adventure, Skyfall. It's one of the ladies as a shirtless Bond sits by the pool. Skyfall hits theaters in November 2012.

New Image From The Amazing Spider-Man

2012-01-13T15:33:00.002-06:00

The new issue of Entertainment Weekly brings us a brand new shot of Andrew Garfield in a classic pose from the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man. The film swings into theaters this summer!

Five New Posters For The Phantom Menace 3D Release

2012-01-13T15:32:00.000-06:00

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is hitting theaters February 10th in a new 3D presentation, and here are five new posters to promote the film! The Force Will Be with You in 3D in a few weeks!

New Stills from The Dark Knight Rises & More

2012-01-12T15:32:00.000-06:00

he hype machine for The Dark Knight Rises is in full swing, with some IMAX theaters already selling tickets and reporting sell outs! The latest issue of Entertainment Weekly features Christian Bale as Batman on the cover and offers a few tidbits inside. Bale had this to say about the end of the trilogy: "I can tell you the truth because I’m done with it: I felt immense pressure. And I think it’s a good pressure, because you owe it to the films — and the people’s expectations — to make great work."
Nolan also has a few comments in this issue including the following: "I think when people see the film, things will come into focus. Bane is very complex and very interesting and when people see the finished film people will be very entertained by him."
The issue also reveals that people may want to revisit the last film in the saga, as this final chapter has ramifications that spin from the conclusion of The Dark Knight in which Gordon and Batman try to cover-up the sins of the late Harvey Dent in order to protect Gotham's true saviour. There are also several new stills fromt he film as seen below. The Dark Knight Rises hits theaters in July!

Avatar 2 Still Four Years Away

2012-01-11T15:15:00.000-06:00

Producer John Landau was attending a screening of Titanic 3D when he had the chance to speak about the upcoming Avatar sequels, and said that they are "four years away". The plan is still to shoot parts 2 and 3 back to back. So this could mean 2016 or Christmas 2015 for the first sequel. It seems like from comments made by Sam Worthingon and even James Cameron himself recently, that they were getting ready to start filming as early as Fall 2012, for a Christmas 2013 release, but maybe not. Whenever Avatar 2 begins, we will keep you posted!

Star Wars TV Show Has A Working Title

2012-01-10T15:26:00.003-06:00

IGN recently sat down with Star Wars prequel producer Rick McCallum to discuss the live action Star Wars television show. The show has a working title of Star Wars: Underworld, which stays true to rumors that the show features bounty hunters, and the underground world of Star Wars. It seems the show is still on track, they are just waiting for an economical way to make it happen. Watch the video below for more!

New Avengers VS X-Men Teaser Art

2012-01-09T15:33:00.001-06:00

The battle between the X-Men and The Avengers begins in comic book stores in April. Check out this very cool teaser art of Iron Man taking on Magneto.

The Unreleased Animated Version Of The Hobbit

2012-01-09T15:30:00.004-06:00

Back in 1966, animator Gene Deitch collaborated with Czech illustrator Adolf Born to create this 12 minute version of Tolkien's classic tale, The Hobbit. It never saw the light of day,until now

New Still From The Avengers

2012-01-06T15:12:00.001-06:00

It's a slow news week when all we get are new stills from movies. This one is from The Avengers as Captain America and Thor prepare for battle. The Avengers hits theaters in May!

Watch Battlestar Galactica In 4 Minutes in 16-Bit

2012-01-05T17:37:00.003-06:00

The title pretty much says it all about this cool amusing video!

Akira Shuts Down In Pre-Production

2012-01-05T17:36:00.000-06:00

Warner Brothers has shut down the pre-production offices on the live action remake of the popular anime film, Akira. The plan is to rework the existing script and scale down the currently $90 million dollar budget. Warner Brothers insist that Akira is not a dead project and Garret Hedlund is still set to star as Kaneda and Juame Collet-Serra is still on to direct.
I think a live action Akira is a good idea, if done right. If you have ever seen the anime film, then you know $90 million already seems like a low budget for the film, and they want it even less? Sounds like this project could die eventually...

Day Early Launch For Avengers Vs X-Men

2012-01-04T17:53:00.000-06:00

Issue #1 of The Avengers Vs X-Men hits comic book stores on April 4th, but you can get it a day early if you comic shop participates in the April 3rd launch event! Stores that participate will be able to sell it at 8 p.m. the night of the 3rd. Goodies such as lithographs, posters, badges, postcards, free comics, and more will be given away for the event! The twist - which side will your comic shop be pledged to? The stores that participate will have to chose X-Men or Avengers to side with and the goodies will based on their allegiance! Check with you local shop for more details!

More Watchmen Art From The Prequel

2012-01-03T15:38:00.000-06:00

Bleeding Cool struck again this time with art of the Silk Spectre II from the apparent upcoming Watchmen project from DC Comics. The art is by Amanda Conner who was recently linked to the series, that is rumored to be a prequel to the original series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

The Avengers International Posters

2012-01-02T15:27:00.000-06:00

Art posters don't get used to often anymore as everything is digitally photo shopped together to create movie posters now days. This poster for The Avengers in international markets uses art, well at least digital art, but it's still refreshing to see this rather than the actors spliced together on a one-sheet.

Unused Footage From The Dark Knight

2011-12-28T19:31:00.000-06:00

Apparently this video has made the rounds in the past but I had never seen it before! It features alternate angles and some unused footage from The Dark Knight

Watchmen Prequel Art

2011-12-27T16:26:00.003-06:00

These two pieces of art leaked out featuring The Comedian and Nite Owl II over at Bleedingcool.com. They have since been asked by DC to have them taken down, but for now check them out in case I'm asked to do the same. They are drawn by J.G. Jones for The Comedian, and Joe and Andy Kubert for Nite Owl II. They are from the long rumored in the works Watchmen prequel comics due sometime in 2012.

Movie Of The Week: Alien (1979)

2011-12-23T15:36:00.001-06:00

Alien (1979)

Synopsis: A mining ship, investigating a suspected SOS, lands on a distant planet. The crew discovers some strange creatures and investigates.

Released May 25, 1979
Director: Ridley Scott
Domestic Box Office Gross: $78.9 Million

Running Time: 1 Hours 57 Minutes
Starring: Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, & John Hurt

Why You Should Watch It: First off it's a classic. Second, the Prometheus trailer just hit which is a prequel to this movie, so why not revisit where it all began.

Prometheus Trailer

2011-12-22T16:54:00.001-06:00

Along with The Dark Knight Rises, The Avengers, and The Amazing Spider-Man, this film is also high on a lot of people's lists to see. Ridley Scott's "Alien" prequel, Prometheus.

First Trailer For The Hobbit Is Here

2011-12-21T09:40:00.001-06:00

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey hits theaters a year from now and here is the teaser trailer and poster!

We Have Movie Posters!

2011-12-20T15:54:00.003-06:00

Amongst all the new movie trailers lately, there has been new posters also. Here we have posters for The Phantom Menace 3D, Ghost Rider 2, Prometheus, The Hunger Games, and more!

New Avengers Still

2011-12-20T15:45:00.002-06:00

Everyone is talking about Batman, but The Avengers are still coming in May and Marvel Studios isn't leting you forget by releasing this new still images from the film!

Wrath Of The Titans Trailer

2011-12-20T15:44:00.002-06:00

The sequel to Clash Of The Titans hits this March and here is the first trailer for Wrath Of The Titans!

Theatrical Trailer For The Dark Knight Rises

2011-12-19T16:01:00.001-06:00

July 2012 can't come soon enough...

Marvel & Disney Launch New Toy Story Comic

2011-12-16T16:00:00.002-06:00

This one is for our younger Comicpalooza fans! This March Marvel and Disney are launching a four issue mini series starring the characters of Toy Story! It features writer Tea Orsi and artists Antonello Dalena and Teresa Quezada-Geer.

New Ghost Rider: Spirits Of Vengeance Trailer

2011-12-15T15:54:00.004-06:00

The new trailers keep coming, this time a new trailer for Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance!

New International Avengers Banners

2011-12-15T15:53:00.002-06:00

These banners have been released for the International markets for The Avengers, which hits theaters next May!

Anime Contamine': Blu-Ray Review Evangelion 2.22

2011-12-13T15:54:00.000-06:00

Anime Contamine' is back with a blu-ray review of a popular anime series and it's latest film in that series!

Evangelion 2.22 Blu-ray Review

By LT Tran

Grab your progressive knives, crank up your Eva, and strapon your plug suits because Hideki Anno's cinematic re-telling of the seminalanime tv series continues with this domestic Blu-ray release of Evangelion2.22.

Story

If you remember all that's happened in the original tvseries, prepare yourself for a wild ride! The story of Shinji Ikari continues and revolves around his desire tofind acceptance with his father Gendo. Along the way, a new character appears who's name Mari Illustrious. Also joining the cast is fan favorite AsukaLangley ~~Soryu~~ Shikinami. Thoughthe former has only made a few brief appearances in the movie, they are no lessinteresting and dramatic. There are bighints in stored for Mari's role as the series continues. While Asuka, different from her original TVmotivations, plays a rather alternate role within Eva 2.0. She's still rambunctious and maybe even moreanti-social but her reasons for being so are subtle and unique to this Rebuild.

Shinji is still Shinji with a tad bit more backbone. The poor kid tries so hard to get closer tohis father, Gendo and you can't help but feel for his plight. As far as Gendo is concerned, he just makesyou want to make a voodoo do1l version and stab it without remorse in responseto the man's utter ruthlessness.

Characters aside, the plot of the movie itself starts with abang and the pacing is better balanced as compared to the plodding of the firstRebuild (re-hash) movie. The quieter momentsof the movie are peppered with humor and character drama. However, when the action starts, elementsthat were mentioned during the serene moments are either put to the test,elevates a character's standing, or immerses the viewer into a moment of aweand emotional involvement. Basically,everything that happens in this movie is relevant and moves forward in a waythat benefits the quadrilogy as a whole.

Animation

Epic, that's all I have to say. Epic. Anno is the masterof conveying larger than life images and not because he uses giant toweringEvas but also in capturing the ideas that are often bigger than our lives andof ourselves. With the aid of computeranimation and a sizable budget, you can really see that the animators underAnno were really having a go at uninhibited storytelling.

On top of all this, it's in high definition! The transfer is clear, colorful, impeccable, and there are no signs ofaliasing or jaggy jagged edges. Thelines are clean and the blu-ray format is ideal for the effects heavy and uberdramatic cg battles. Oh, and speakingof CG battles, I have to give special mention that each of the angel designs and battles are a glory to behold! The CG animation is very fluid and thetextures of the characters are detailed. The implementation of motion captureon the Evas are effective and convincing.

Sound

As expected, the Japanese voice cast is top notch and thesound mix is well balanced. Though,personally, I was more curious about the English dub. What's really interesting about this localization is the factthat they brought back the original voice actors of Shinji, Misato, and Asukafrom the original AD Vision release! Mysense of continuity with these actors feels nostalgic and it's almost like areunion with old friends. Spike Spencerhas mastered his role of Shinji and you can really feel the intensity in hisvoice more so compared to his earlier days back in the nineties. The same can be said of Allison Kieth(Misato) and Tiffany Grant ([Asuka]No German spoken, unfortunately).

The English sound mix takes advantage of the surround soundeffects much different from the original Japanese sound mix. Let's just say that with the Japanese mix,its more oriented towards dialogue while the US mix is more suited for a hometheater setting which allows for an immersive experience.

Special acclaim should also be given to the film composer,Shirou Sagisu whose music drove and elevated the drama and action of themovie. Particularly, the scene whereMari goes into battle with the tenth angel and the melding of animated fury anda choir accompanied orchestra comes into cohesion with great effect. His inclusion of two popular Japanese popsongs were memorable due to their juxtaposition against some of the mostviolent and visceral images ever captured on celluloid.

“But Long,” you say. “I see nothing but compliments and praise in this review! Isn't there anything about this release youdidn't like?” Why sure there is! The movie is too short. The disc itself is an off-plum color. Special features are limited (but the audiocommentaries are interesting). There. Those are my complaints.

Overall, I've heard purists complain about the alternatepath of the second rebuild movies being way too different. It is and were are headed into territoriesunknown come the third and fourth movie. However, it really doesn't matter inthe long run (though I will acquiescethat the first movie was a re-hash). They can't argue the fact that this re-envisioning is just asentertaining and substantial as the TV series. In some way, due to a more limited time that they are allotted in thecinematic format, it seems more visceral to me. So there you have it, the score is below and I am now ejectingfrom the entry plug.

Score 9.5

Amazing Spider-Man Teaser Poster

2011-12-12T16:36:00.002-06:00

This new poster for The Amazing Spider-Man has been premiered by Super Hero Hype. The teaser trailer wasn't all that impressive, but this poster is pretty bad ass.

New Dark Knight Rises Teaser Poster

2011-12-12T16:34:00.001-06:00

This is an incredible poster...next summer cannot come soon enough.

Men In Black 3 Trailer

2011-12-12T16:33:00.001-06:00

The men are back next summer!

Movie Of The Week: Planet Of The Apes (1968)

2011-12-09T16:01:00.001-06:00

Planet Of The Apes (1968)

Synopsis: An astronaut crew crash lands on a planet in the distant future where intelligent talking apes are the dominant species, and humans are the oppressed and enslaved.

Released April 3, 1968
Director: Franklin J. Schaffner
Domestic Box Office Gross: $32.6 Million
Running Time: 1 Hours 52 Minutes
Starring: Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, and Kim Hunter

Why You Should Watch It: The new reboot/prequel hits DVD/Blu-Ray on Tuesday, so why not revisit the original classic film now and see where the phenomenon all began!

Dark Knight Rises Viral Marketing Coniinues

2011-12-09T15:56:00.001-06:00

A new viral website has popped up for The Dark Knight Rises titled Operation Early Bird. It features various coordinates around the country counting down to theaters showing early screenings of the 6 minute prologue on the 13th of the month.The prologue for the movie is showing on IMAX screens in front of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. Other rumors suggest a new trailer is coming later today but nothing really to confirm this yet but we shall see!
The movies official website has also launched at thedarkknightrises.com and features a sound bite with a woman repeating several numbers. As I know more so will you!

Transformers #80.5 On Free Comic Book DAy

2011-12-09T15:53:00.001-06:00

The Transformers return on Free Comic Book Day! Not that they ever went any where but they are returning to their original Marvel Comics continuity, when IDW releases issue #80.5 on Free Comic Book Day 2012! The story will take place right where the original Marvel series left off! A lot of grew up reading those classic Marvel stories and now they shall continue! Till all are one!

The Dark Knight Rises Viral Campaign Begins

2011-12-08T15:42:00.001-06:00

Warner Brothers has kicked off the viral marketing campaign for The Dark Knight Rises with a "CIA Bulletin" for a missing Russian scientist named Dr. Leonid Pavel. A second document below also refers to the Dr. No word yet on how these tie into the film but some suggest these clues will tie into a "major cultural event". The Dark Knight Rises hits theaters next July!

Coming Soon To The CP Blog

2011-12-07T15:15:00.001-06:00

Updates have been slow lately as news as been slow but look for a brand new Anime Contamine edition soon, as well as a brand new comic book column that is int he works. Plus other small changes to make the Comicpalooza Blog better than ever!

Plus be on the lookout for big announcements from Comicpalooza itself as to what we have in store for 2012!!!

Batman Arkham City Costumes DLC Pack Trailer

2011-12-07T15:14:00.001-06:00

Batman: Arkham City is truly one of the greatest super hero games ever made, and now you can play in Batman costumes through different eras in the game. 1970's Batman, Batman The Animated Series, Batman Year One, The Dark Knight Returns, Earth One Batman, Sinestro Corps Batman, and Batman Beyond. The DLC Pack is avaiable now for about 5 bucks on Playstation 3 and XBox 360 and here is the trailer!

Get More: GameTrailers.com, Batman: Arkham City - Skins Pack Trailer, PC Games, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360

Avengers Vs X-Men In 2012

2011-12-06T15:57:00.001-06:00

Are you ready to rumble? USA Today has revealed Marvel's big plans for 2012, with further information expected to be announced by the company tomorrow. The throwdown will take palce over 12 bi-weekly issues with Brian Michael Bendis, Jason Aaron, Ed Brubaker, Jonathan Hickman and Matt Fraction all on writing duties, the heroic teams are set to clash over the arrival of the Phoenix Force on Earth and its target of Hope Summers. The art will be provided by superstar trio John Romita Jr., Olivier Coipel and Adam Kubert.
A "zero issue" prologue will kick off the event next March from Bendis, with the premise being that the X-Men want to prepare Hope to be the host of the Phoenix Force while the Avengers want the girl handed over to them in order to keep the world from potentially being destroyed if she fails to control the powerful entity.

Smallville Season 11 Is A Novel?

2011-12-05T16:04:00.001-06:00

Smallville ended last year after 10 seasons with a finale that some loved, and some hated. The show is returning now but not on television, but rather in the form of a novel. The story editor and writer for the series, Bryan Q. Miller, will be writing a novel showing what happen to the characters of Smallville after the finale.No word yet on when we will see this, but Comicpalooza will keep you posted!

Full Trailer For John Carter

2011-12-01T15:33:00.001-06:00

IGN has debuted the full trailer for John Carter. The film hits theaters in March, and this one looks good!

The Lizard Concept Art

2011-11-30T15:29:00.001-06:00

Not sure of the actual source on this but concept art has hit the web of what appears to be the Lizard from next summers The Amazing Spider-Man. Looks pretty cool but the film still doesn't seem to be having any buzz about it.....maybe people are just to pumped for The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers.

Three New Mad Max Films?!

2011-11-29T16:06:00.001-06:00

New Mad Max films have been in the works for a while now with Tom Hardy starring in them as Mad Max. George Miller has apparently written scripts for two films, the first is Fury Road and the second Furiosa. Now it seems that Miller has not two but three films planned and to shoot them all back to back to back! According to the Australlian Financial Review the films are set for production sometime next year after numerous delays due to weather. Here are key elements from the article:

Set for production next year, it seems, is Fury Road. Furiosa has been scripted and storyboarded, and now, Miller has gotten deep into the writing of a third part. Here are the key quotes:
Fury Road was to shoot in Broken Hill in September last year, then April 2011, but heavy rain had turned the desert into a flower garden and the water table stubbornly refused to drop. The film will now shoot in Namibia from April with additional filming and post-production back in Australia.
Miller has, in fact, written a whole new trilogy. “We started with [Fury Road], but we then started to do a second story and a third,” he says. “We’ve written the script for the second and almost finished the third. We never intended to, they were part of the exploration of the characters.”

Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 8 Clip

2011-11-29T16:05:00.001-06:00

The Walking Dead doesn't return until February 12th but for now check out this clip from the next episode titled "Nebraska"!

Dark Horse Announces FBC 2012 Books

2011-11-28T15:57:00.001-06:00

FOUR GREAT STORIES, TWO AMAZING BOOKS, ONE HECK OF A SATURDAY!

Dark Horse rolls out the announcement of all four titles that will be featured in two different comics to be given away to thousands of fans on May 5, 2012.

First comes a special flip book featuring both Felicia Day’s gaming web series turned comic, The Guild, and Dark Horse’s best-selling comics continuation of Joss Whedon’s iconic television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer! Buffy has never needed a vacation as badly as she does now, with the world overrun with zompires and other fallout from Season 8. After an old friend suggests a relaxing getaway from all things that go bump in the night, it turns out to be harder than she could ever expect for a Slayer to get a day off!

Felicia Day, creator of The Guild, continues to bring on the funny with high jinks from her diverse group of gamers when the Guildies struggle to find a meeting place they can all agree on. A little in-game battle becomes the deciding factor, and the circle follows the decree of the winner: the beach?!

Next up is one of the biggest flip books we’ve ever published, when Zack Whedon brings you tales of the coolest guy in the galaxy and the most charming rebel in the ’verse! That’s right; we’ve paired Star Wars with Joss Whedon’s Serenity!

Han Solo and Chewbacca have a falling-out after a deal with their slickest—and shadiest—customer goes bad. But when the client gets designs on the Millennium Falcon, Han and Chewie present a united front that can’t be beat!

Meanwhile, Captain Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds is no stranger to jobs gone wrong himself. But when the chips are down, he’s able to rely on the amazing, odd, and diversely talented crew of Serenity.

Dark Horse Free Comic Book Day 2012: Four great stories for the price of, well, none!

Kirkman Talks Walking Dead's Mid-Season Finale & More

2011-11-28T15:56:00.001-06:00

Last night's mid season finale of The Walking Dead was exhilarting, now The Hollywood Reporter talks to creator Robert Kirkman about the show.

Spoilers ahead so be warned!

THR:Sophia (Madison Lintz) was in the barn the whole time! How come Hershel never mentioned it?
Robert Kirkman: I don't think that Hershel was ever doing a cataloging of the zombies. It was painful for him because his wife and son were also in the barn. It's not like he was actually hanging out in there or paying attention to all the walkers that were in there. He knew they were looking for a girl named Sophia but who knows what zombies were are in there and how often they'd been put in there. Otis (Pruitt Taylor Vince) was the one who was in charge and corralling them and putting them in there. So for all Hershel knew, Otis had put the Sophia zombie in there months ago.

THR: Was killing one of the comic's original characters an easy one?
Kirkman: When a good idea comes up, you have to go with it. Sophia is a character who is still alive in the comic book series and who has contributed quite a bit to the overall narrative and informed a lot of story lines for a lot of different characters. Having Carol (Melissa McBride) survive her daughter as opposed to the other way around as it is in the comics is going to lead to interesting but different stories.
THR: Will the second half pick up immediately after the shooting or will it jump ahead?
Kirkman: We're not going to be doing any big time jumps. Whether we lose a day, hour or if it picks up the very minute after the scene, I wouldn't want to give away too early but there's not going to be any massive time jump this season.

THR: How will Sophia's death alter Carl's development?
Kirkman: One of the major story lines in the comics is Carl's (Chandler Riggs) dissention into a darker role; he's forced into adulthood to make terrible decisions. His character evolving over the course of the comic book series is really going to be accelerated by the absence of Sophia. That will remain largely in tact and be sped up. There's going to be more darkness creeping in to the series in the second half of the season. Now that the Sophia question has been answered, they're not going to have that hanging over their heads and that's not going to be bogging them down making them have to devote time to that.

THR: Rick told Shane about Lori's (Sarah Wayne Callies) pregnancy, but not that he was aware of their affair. How long will he keep that over him?
Kirkman: I want the show to get a reputation as one that doesn't hang on to things like that for long. We have a lot of story to tell on this series and we're not going to be dwelling too much. I'm very excited that we got around to revealing that Rick knew about the relationship. Stuff like that is going to bubble up to the surface in very interesting ways in the last half of the season.

THR: Any update on when/if we'll see the Governor or Michonne?
Kirkman: I can say only that we will see them eventually. We will see some new characters popping up as early as the [2012] premiere episode.

THR: Still unknown: What Jenner told Rick at the CDC. How much longer can you hold on to that?
Kirkman: It will be happening sooner rather than later.

New Images From Prometheus

2011-11-23T15:54:00.001-06:00

Prometheus is the highly anticipated new science fiction film from Ridley Scott. The film is a prequel to Scott's original Alien film. We will all get to see what he has in store next summer, but in the mean time enjoy these new images scanned from the new issue of Entertainment Weekly

Chuck Norris Endorses World Of Warcraft

2011-11-22T15:59:00.001-06:00

News is slow this week due to the holiday this Thursday so why not a fun video. you may have seen this commercial airing on TV but it's official, Chuck Norris endorses World Of Warcraft. Comicpalooza has a huge gaming fan interest so why not share this with you all. Remember Chuck doesn't play WoW with a keyboard, he stares at the screen and destroys the enemies with his mind!

Nolan Says The Dark Knight Rises Takes Place 8 Years Later

2011-11-21T15:30:00.001-06:00

Empire Magazine has a new feature story on The Dark Knight Rises, as well as multiple covers for the issue. Christopher Nolan speaks for the first time in a while about when The Dark Knight Rises takes place and more! "Our story picks up EIGHT years after The Dark Knight". In terms of finishing our story and increasing its scope, we were trying to craft an epic. It's really all about finishing Batman and Bruce Wayne's story. We left him in a very precarious place. Perhaps surprisingly for some people, our story picks up quite a bit later, eight years after The Dark Knight. So he's an older Bruce Wayne; he's not in a great state. With our choice of villain and with our choice of story we are testing Batman both physically as well as mentally. Also, in terms of finishing the our story and increasing its scope, we were trying to craft epic so the physicality of the film became very important. The Prologue is basically the first six, seven minutes of the film. Its the introduction to Bane and a taste of the rest of the film. With Bane we are looking to give Batman a physical challenge that he hasn't had before. He's a great sort of movie monster, but with an incredible brain, and that was a side of him that hand't been taped before. Because the stories from the comics are very epic and very evocative---very much in the way that Bruce Wayne's origin story is epic and evocative. We were looking to really parallel that with our choice of villain. So he's a worthy adversary. I felt that if I could get somebody as talented as Tom to agree to hide himself in the character I would get something very special. What I really feel with a great actor is every movement, every hand gesture, every step, has performance in it. Tom completely got it. It's an incredible challenge to remove motion of the face so that you can't put things across in the usual way, and you just have the eyes and a bit of the scalp and the arms and legs. What I knew is that from Tom I would get something where you get a total character and everything has incredible thought applied to it. And a lot of what he's doing is very counterintuitive. He has this incredible disjunct between the expressiveness of the voice and the stillness of the movement of his body. He's found a way to play a character who is enormous and powerful with a sort of calm to it, but also is able to incredibly fast at times. Unpredictable. He just has a raw threat to him that's extraordinary. It's a very powerful thing when you see it come together, beyond what I have ever imagined. That's what you get from working with great actors. The world of Batman indeed the world of all graphic novels, deals with archetypes, and there's a very real sense in which the Joker is an extreme and an absolute. So when you're looking to continue the story, then you certainly don't want a watered-down version of a character you've already done. You want a different archetype. What Bane represents in the comics is the ultimate physical enemy."

"The world of Batman, indeed the world of all graphic novels, deals with archetypes," he says, "And there's a very real sense in which The Joker is an extreme and an absolute and Batman is an extreme and an absolute. So whe you're looking to continue the story - in this case finish Bruce Wayne and Batman's story, as we see it - then you certainly don't want a watered-down version of a character you've already done. You want a different archetype. What Bane represents in the comics is the ultimate physical villain."
"It's really all about finishing Batman's and Bruce Wayne's story. We left him in a very precarious place at the end of The Dark Knight. His reputation in tatters, on the run. And I think perhaps surprisingly for some people, out story picks up quite a bit later. He's not in great state. He's frozen in time, he's hit a brick wall. Batman Begins was very much about the explaining the logic of the suit, and how it belonged in the shadows, in a position of stealth where he's able to intimidate people with it as his new entity. And then through The Dark Knight we would him out during the magic hour and we changed the suit accordingly so he withstood that kind of exposure. But also the character himself has the reputation now, so he;s able to expose himself more and still intimidate people. And with the third film we're pushing that further...but plenty of it takes place in the dark too."

The Avengers Banners

2011-11-17T15:14:00.001-06:00

These new Avengers character banners are appearing in theaters now! The Avengers hits theaters May 2012!

Never Before Seen Batman Posters

2011-11-16T15:27:00.001-06:00

The San Diego Reader is currently running a two part article by Jay Sanford called Famous Movie Poster Rejects You've Never Seen. The article features never before seen designs from the original 1989 Batman film, along with Supergirl, Howard The Duck, The Fly and more. Some of the Batman designs, as seen to the left, are very cool, along with other interesting concepts for the other films!

Theatrical Trailer For Pixar's Brave

2011-11-16T15:26:00.001-06:00

We had the amazing teaser trailer earlier this year, now comes the full theatrical trailer for Pixar's next animated film, Brave. Brave hits theaters June 22, 2012.

DC Nation Teaser Trailer

2011-11-15T15:29:00.003-06:00

DC Nation is a new block of DC programming coming to the Cartoon Network in 2012. We now have our first look at it with this teaser trailer!

Toy Story: Small Fry Clip

2011-11-15T15:29:00.001-06:00

Toy Story: Small Fry is the new short that will air in theaters in front of The Muppets. It is the second of three planned Toy Story shorts, the first being "Hawaiian Vacation" which aired with Cars 2. Here is a clip from the new Toy Story: Small Fry short.

Snow White & The Huntsman Trailer

2011-11-14T15:58:00.001-06:00

This is the first I have talked about this film here. It hits theaters in the Spring and stars Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth. The official synopsis is as follows: In the epic action-adventure Snow White and the Huntsman, Kristen Stewart (Twilight) plays the only person in the land fairer than the evil queen (Oscar(r) winner Charlize Theron) out to destroy her. But what the wicked ruler never imagined is that the young woman threatening her reign has been training in the art of war with a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth, Thor) dispatched to kill her. Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) joins the cast as the prince long enchanted by Snow White's beauty and power. The breathtaking new vision of the legendary tale is from Joe Roth, the producer of Alice in Wonderland, producer Sam Mercer (The Sixth Sense) and acclaimed commercial director and state-of-the-art visualist Rupert Sanders.

The Hunger Games Trailer

2011-11-14T15:55:00.001-06:00

The Hunger Games is based on a series of popular books that I haven't read. The movie version hits in 2012 and looks pretty cool. Here is the theatrical trailer for the film!

What Would Bradley Cooper Looked Like As The Crow?

2011-11-14T15:51:00.001-06:00

The Crow reboot has been in development for the last couple of years. Early this year it almost got off the ground with Juan Carlos Fresnadillo of 28 Days Later fame directing the film. Bradley Cooper was to be the star. They have both since left the project and the film now has no star or director and lies in development hell. I've been pretty vocal on hoping this movie never exists, and as time goes it's looking more likely. None the less, it's still neat to see what may have been. Shock Till You Drop has gotten their hands on some concept art done by artist Diego Latorre of what Cooper may have looked like if the film had gotten made. Check them out below!

First Look At Toy Story: Small Fry

2011-11-11T15:51:00.001-06:00

Toy Story: Small Fry is a new animated short airing in front of The Muppets. USA Today has a few choice quotes from writer-director Angus MacLane, the man who previously created Pixar’s magical short, Presto, and the Wall-E spin-off, Burn-E. Here’s some of what he said: "It’s like the Prince and the Pauper tale for toys. Except one of them happens to be three inches tall. [Happy Meal] toys’ existence is about being really popular before the meal and then being totally forgotten about, and sometimes they don’t even get played with. There’s something funny about having the action hero have to deal with something very mundane like escaping from an awkward social situation."
The seven minute toon features a host of regular voices, plus semi-legendary animation story guy, animator and director Teddy Newton as the mini-Buzz and Jane Lynch has a role too, though I think it be more fun to not tell you what it is.
Small Fry is the second of three Toy Story Shorts in the first planned wave. The first of course aired in front of Cars 2, and no word yet on when the third one will appear.

immortals Graphic Novel & App

2011-11-10T15:22:00.001-06:00

Immortals hits theaters tomorrow, and along side it comes a tie in graphic novel, along with an app for IPad and IPhone. The app will be available tomorrow and the graphic novel should be in stores now. Check out the cover below as well as video preview.

Movie Of The Week: Die Hard (1988)

2011-11-09T15:59:00.001-06:00

Die Hard (1988)

Synopsis: New York cop John McClane gives terrorists a dose of their own medicine as they hold hostages in an LA office building.

Released July 15, 1988
Director: John McTiernan
Domestic Box Office Gross: $83Million
Running Time: 2 Hours 1 Minutes
Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, and Paul Gleason

Why You Should Watch It: Chances are you've seen it and with the announcement of A Good Day To Die Hard, the 5th film in the franchise, it's a good time to revisit the original classic. This is the best film in the series and still holds up today with modern action films. Plus Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman are awesome in this.

Green Lantern The Animated Series Press Release & Stills

2011-11-08T15:36:00.001-06:00

Cartoon Network has issued a press release for the premier this Friday of Green Lantern The Animated Series, as well as a synopsis for the first two episodes airing during the one hour event!

Beware My Power…Green Lantern’s Light"

Airs Friday, November 11 7/6c on Cartoon Network

Based upon the DC Comics super hero, GREEN LANTERN THE ANIMATED SERIES follows Earth's Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, who is used to being in dangerous situations — but never anything like this! In the farthest reaches of deep space, Hal patrols the Guardian Frontier, where he must face down invasions from the evil Red Lantern Corps., who have sworn to destroy the Green Lanterns and everything they stand for. With ever-emerging galactic threats, Hal is soon joined by an all-new group of heroes on a mission to protect Guardian Space — and the Green Lantern Corps itself!

In the first part of the two-part series premiere episode, ace test pilot Hal Jordan (voiced by JOSH KEATON), who leads a secret life as Earth's guardian Green Lantern, is called back to Oa. Searching for the culprits behind a series of Green Lantern deaths in "Frontier Space", Hal and his gruff fellow Green Lantern Kilowog (voiced by KEVIN MICHAEL RICHARDSON) "commandeer" The Interceptor, a prototype spaceship powered by pure Green Lantern energy and an advanced artificial intelligence system that Hal names Aya (voiced by GREY DeLISLE).

In the second half of the two-part series premiere episode, Hal and Kilowog discover that a group of Red Lanterns, including the conflicted Razer (voiced by JASON SPISAK) and the vile Zilius Zox (voiced by TOM KENNY) have been targeting and eliminating Green Lanterns in Frontier Space. Along with the help from a surviving Frontier Space Green Lantern Shyir Rev (voiced by KURTWOOD SMITH), Hal and Kilowog must stop the Red Lantern leader Atrocitus (voiced by JONATHAN ADAMS) from destroying Shyir's home planet of Colony 12.

Inside The Walking Dead - The Well Walker

2011-11-07T15:29:00.002-06:00

Last night's episode of The Walking Dead featured a gruesome walker inside the well, and now AMC gives us a look at what it took to bring the zombie to life!

The SKYisFALLing - James Bond Returns

2011-11-03T16:09:00.003-05:00

MGM and EON Productions held the "Bond 23" Press Conference today in London, to officially announce that production begins next week, and the title of the film is Skyfall. Daniel Craig returns as Bond and the film is being directed by Sam Mendes. The official synopsis for the film is as follows: In SKYFALL, Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

One interesting thing to note is that this film will be a separate story so the Quantum organization has seemingly been put on hold or is "in hiding" for now. If you remember Casino Royale and Quantum Of Solace were parts of a planned trilogy. So we will see where this new Bond adventure takes us. Check out the official logo and video from the conference below. The film hits theaters November 9, 2012.

Andy Serkis Returns To The Planet Of The Apes

2011-11-03T16:06:00.003-05:00

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes was one of the years biggest and best surprises. The film was very well received by critics and audiences, and overall just one of the better films this year. The sequel is finally beginning to be set in motion with director Rupert Wyatt will return and the studio has just inked a deal to bring back actor Andy Serkis to reprise his role as Cesar. No word on a title or release date for the film, but most likely 2013 at the earliest.

New Trailer For Underworld: Awakening

2011-11-02T15:28:00.004-05:00

I'm not really sure why these movies have such a cult following, because really they are just ok. But yet also popular enough to get another sequel made and it hits in January. Behold the the theatrical trailer for Underworld: Awakening in 3D!

Batman Arkham City "Nightwing" Trailer

2011-11-01T15:44:00.000-05:00

Batman Arkham City is freaking awesome. The first DLC for the game hits in a few days with Nightwing being added to the mix, and here is the trailer!

Kirkman Talks Shane's Presence In The Walking Dead TV Series

2011-11-01T15:42:00.003-05:00

Robert Kirkman, the creator and writer of The Walking Dead comic book series, recently sat down to talk about the differences in the television show and the comic book for a few moments with MTV. Mostly talking about Shane and his presence in the show.

Get More: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

New Trailer For M:I - Ghost Protocol Is Here

2011-10-28T15:49:00.004-05:00

One of the biggest movies this holiday season is Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, and here is hte brand new theatrical trailer for the film!

Movie Of The Week - October 26, 2011: Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

2011-10-26T13:49:00.002-05:00

Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

Synopsis: A group of people hide from bloodthirsty zombies in a farmhouse..

Released October 1, 1968
Director: George A. Romero
Domestic Box Office Gross: $30 Million (Worldwide)
Running Time: 1 Hour 36 Minutes
Starring: Duane Jones & Judith O'Dea

Why You Should Watch It: This is the movie that made zombies cool! 28 Days Later, Dawn Of The Dead, The Walking Dead....all are inspired by this black and white classic! It still stands up today in the genre as a horrifying and gritty look at just what if the dead came back to life!

The Walking Dead Renewed For Season 3

2011-10-25T15:52:00.000-05:00

After the season two premiere set cable television records, this really comes as no surprise, but AMC has officially confirmed that The Walking Dead has been renewed for a third season. "Today we are pleased to announce that the ‘dead’ shall live as we proudly renew ‘The Walking Dead’ for a third season on AMC and, globally, with our terrific partners at Fox International Channels," said Charlie Collier, AMC’s President. “We are thankful for everyone’s contribution in front of and behind the camera as we continue to make ‘The Walking Dead’ a unique television experience. And, we are so proud as it continues to set viewership records around the world.”

Justice League - Doom Trailer

2011-10-25T15:46:00.003-05:00

Justice League - Doom is the new animated film from Warner Premiere and DC Comics. The trailer is here and teh film hits this Winter in stores every where.

Star Wars Episode I 3D Trailer

2011-10-24T15:45:00.002-05:00

Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace hits theaters in February in 3D and here is the trailer!

Embed Credited To Movie Web

Dark Knight Rises Prologue Coming In December?

2011-10-21T15:37:00.002-05:00

In 2007, Warner Brothers released the first 8 minutes of The Dark Knight in front of IMAX screenings of I Am Legend. Now it seems they are going to do the same and release the "prologue" to The Dark Knight Rises in front of IMAX screenings of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol. For now take this as rumor and if confirmed, you will know!

The Punisher Being Developed For Television

2011-10-21T15:33:00.002-05:00

Fox has committed to a pilot for The Punisher, a series based on the Marvel comic from Edward Allen Bernero and ABC.

The comic adaptation is described as an hour-long cop procedural with a Marvel signature and a new take on one of the comic book giant's iconic characters, Frank Castle, a rising star detective with the New York Police Department who moonlights as the vigilante Punisher, seeking justice for those the system has failed.

This marks the first sale this season for ABC, with the company setting up Hulk with Guillermo del Toro, David Eick and Jessica Jones with Melissa Rosenberg last season.

No cast or production details have been released

Live Action Akira Film Gets The Greenlight

2011-10-20T15:55:00.001-05:00

Akira, the immensely popular manga and anime film from the 80's, has finally been given a green light for a live action adaption from Warner Brothers. They have tapped Spanish helmer Jaume Collet-Serra (''Orphan,'' ''Unknown'') to direct the live-action version of the anime cult hit at a lower revised budget of $90 million..Production on the pic is set for a late February / early March start. The manga and original film's director, Katsuhiro Otomo is on board as exec-producer. No word on who will star but Tron Legacy lead Garrett Hedlund is the front runner apparently.

The Big Bang Theory Cast As Super Heroes

2011-10-19T15:24:00.002-05:00

Warner Brothers is celebrating The Big Bang Theory being on 5 nights a week now by turning them into super heroes! At comic book stores now you can find backer boards and store bags featuring Jim Lee's Justice League art on one side, and the cast of The Big Bang Theory on the other. Look for posters and other advertising material also to tie in with the show and of course DC's New 52!

New Trailer For Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows

2011-10-19T15:17:00.000-05:00

A brand new trailer for Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows has arrived! The film hits theaters this Christmas season!

<a href='http://video.uk.msn.com?vid=c91a8406-eca6-4bcf-9946-9b85f37438a2&mkt=en-gb&from=sp^en-gb&src=FLPl:embed::uuids' target='_new' title='MSN Exclusive: Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows - trailer 3' >Video: MSN Exclusive: Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows - trailer 3</a>

Deleted Captain America Scene

2011-10-19T15:14:00.004-05:00

Captain America: The First Avenger hits Blu-Ray on Tuesday, and Marvel.com has released this deleted scene that can be found on the disc. It's a very cool scene and one of which should have been in the film. One thing I was hoping to see more of in the film was fighting in World War II, especially with the Howling Commandos, and this scene would have given it to the audience!

Cameron Reveals Avatar 2 & 3 Details

2011-10-18T16:08:00.002-05:00

James Cameron recently sat down with Dateline to discuss Avatar 2 and Avatar 3, which the director reveals will include never-before-seen new planets. James Cameron also explained that he will be writing the scripts for both films together, so that all three Avatar movies will follow one long story arc. Here are some excerpts from what Cameron had to say.

      First, James Cameron discussed the fact that he is writing both scripts for Avatar 2 and Avatar 3
together, and that much of this next sequel will take place underwater.
He also reveals that we will see new planets in these next two films in
the franchise.

     "It
takes place on Pandora. I'm writing the second and third films
together. It completes a three-film story arc. We will see the ocean of
Pandora, which we haven't seen at all. That is an eco-system that I am
dying to design. It's going to look spectacular. It narrows the
spotlight. Instead of the rain forest or nature, it focuses on ocean
issues. Because we have a planet that is a blue planet. If you look at
it from a distance, earth is a lot more blue than it is brown...Than it
is land mass. We are making the oceans unsurvivable for a lot of the
species right now. For a lot of reasons. This is the chance to focus a
little bit of energy in that direction. And there will be other planets as well, aside from Pandora. It will be a cornucopia. It will be a treat for the eyes."

     James Cameron then gave his team of artists most of the created for the imaginative worlds that we will see on screen. "I
get to image things at a fuzzy level. Than I bring in a lot of great
artists. They come up with all the amazing creatures and plants."

     Finally, James Cameron let fans know that he will not be pushing the environmental aspects of the storyline any harder than he did in the original Avatar. "This
is a continuation of the same story at a greater level. I want people
to feel that same sense of excitement about this world, and the
fictional Na'vi people. I want them to feel that excitement of
discovering a new world. All the things they haven't seen. The package
of the first movie will be there. The themes will be there, and played
out in a way that I think people can accept. I am not going to become
more strident. I am not going to say, "Well, we got away with this much
environmental content in the first one, now I am going to double it. I
think that would be a mistake. It has to be entertainment first and foremost."

Avatar 2 and 3 are due in 2014 and 2015!

Movie Of The Week: October 17, 2011: The Thing (1982)

2011-10-17T16:16:00.000-05:00

The Thing (1982)

Synopsis: Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills.

Released June 25, 1982
Director: John Carpenter
Domestic Box Office Gross: $19.6 Million
Running Time: 1 Hour 49 Minutes
Starring: Kurt Russel, Keith David, and Wilford Brimley

Why You Should Watch It: With the prequel/remake in theaters now, maybe it's time to revisit the classic 1982 film. There's also the 1951 film The Thing From Another World. Either way you will be watching a solid science fiction film that may just scare the hell out of you in the process!

Anime Contamine': How to Get Back into Anime a.k.a. Come back into the Light!

2011-10-14T16:01:00.000-05:00

The Comicpalooza Blog wants to welcome LT Tran on board with our brand new anime column! Read, enjoy and give feedback to him for future articles! And without further delay....

Hello, fellow geeks! For a good while now, I was invited to write an anime column for the Comicpalooza website and for a time I haven't sent anything to the administrator not because I didn't want to but it's mostly because I had no idea what to submit to the blog. Also, it didn't help that work tended to get in the way or the pure and simple fact that I ran out of energy to write anything after a long day of physical labor (I is lazy, har har har). So what did I decide to write as an inaugural article for this anime column? See title above.

Now I'm sure that many comic book fans out there are into anime and manga. I for one, are into anime and can't really get into manga because it's such an expensive hobby to keep up with. Unless you have a subscription to Shonen Jump or just have a huge coffer of money to spend it on books from Barne's and Noble's manga section.

Now, let's get into the meat of this article, How to get back into anime AKA come back into the light. I decided on this topic because I know that there are a lot of you out there that used to be very into Japanese animation and have pretty much lost touch with this special media. Either, A) you started a family (a life), B) lost interest (shame on you), or C) just too busy with work and other interests (not really an excuse). If you fit any of the criteria above and may still have a passing interest about anime or wish to get back into it but don't know how. I'm your man. I'm here to help!

Thankfully, we live in the age of the internet, getting back into the genre takes a few keystrokes and a couple of mouse clicks away. If we lived in any other age I would've gone through the pains of actually scouting out real world locations for vhs stores that have a decent anime selection; good thing we don't. Alright, digressions aside, let's get to it. I will recommend three websites that will help ease you back into the anime world.

Animenetwork.com Not only can you keep up with the latest of anime series released in the US but you can watch some of the shows being simulcast in Japan! There is a monthly subscription fee of $6.95 per month. There are options for dubs or subtitles.

Crunchyroll.com Sometimes, some shows won't appear on animenetwork and the reason why is mainly because this website probably nabbed exclusive streaming rights to some of the shows. Price: 6.95 per month they also have Asian dramas as a separate streaming service. If you want to cover all your bases subscribe to both if you feel like you need to rekindle your ocd of anime.

Finally, there's Netflix. Believe it or not, Netflix definitely has the largest anime selection anywhere either through their dvd catalog or through their streaming library. Of course, they're not the cheapest. To get a dvd and streaming option you'd have to fork over 15.98 a month (that's more than a WOW monthly subscription!) or just 8.99 a month for just the unlimited streaming. However, despite the price they tend to keep up pretty well with some of Funimation's recent dvd releases and back catalog.

Now all websites do feature a ratings and comments for viewers to browse through in case you can't decide on what to watch first. If you want any recommendations, you can send me an email and I will compile the most common questions together in to a feature article coming out soon!

Send questions and comments to evildrtran@yahoo.com

Batman: Arkham City Launch Trailer

2011-10-14T15:48:00.000-05:00

Batman: Arkham City hits stores on Tuesday, and here is the brand new launch trailer for the game!

Anime Contamine.....tomorrow!

2011-10-13T16:18:00.000-05:00

The Comicpalooza Blog has a brand new anime column debuting tomorrow (I hope) and basically this post is just to announce it! Feedback, excitement, thoughts are appreciated!