by A.J. Focht

This weekend is your last chance to see The Avengers in theaters. Disney is rereleasing the film for one weekend only. Avengers was playing on 142 screens last week. It is unknown how many more theaters will be picking the movie back up for the holiday weekend. Rumors of Disney releasing The Avengers with extra footage before the summer’s end surfaced months ago. It is unclear as of now if this weekend’s release will have that extra footage or not. Either way, it looks like Disney is determined to close the $40 million dollar gap to take the second highest grossing box-office record from Titanic.

ABC has officially ordered a S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot. Joss Whedon is co-writing it with his brother Jed Whedon, and Maurissa Tancharoen. All three are executive producers on the project. While Jed and Maurissa will be the show runners, Joss assures us that he will show up now and then to take credit for everything.

Rumors that Ben Affleck was being considered to direct the Justice League movie have been floating around for a while. He’s not alone on that list though as a handful of directors have been rumored for consideration. The list includes: The Watchowskis, Brett Ratner, Zack Snyder, Ruben Fleischer, and McG. There are also one or two more names in consideration that haven’t been released yet.

Sony has officially announced the Metal Gear Solid movie – again. The announcement was made at the Metal Gear Solid Anniversary event in Tokyo. Spider-Man producer Avi Arad is behind the project. Little more is known other than that the movie is currently in development.

Sony isn’t just working on videogame based movies, they are also working on a movie about the videogame console wars. Sony has registered a bunch of domains relating to the movie. The current rumor is that it will be like a Social Network for the gaming world.

If Morgan Freeman wasn’t already the voice you heard in your head as you played God over your LEGOs, he probably will be now. LEGO: The Piece of Resistance is a LEGO film that will star Morgan Freman, Elizabeth Banks, and Chris Pratt. Freeman will be playing a character named ‘Vitruvius’ who is described as ‘Gandalf meets Mr. Magoo’.

A few weeks ago David Duchovny gave an interview saying he wanted to make a third X-Files film, and now a third movie might indeed be underway. Gillian Anderson answered questions about it at the Toronto Fan Expo and said that things were looking pretty good, after having met with series creator Chris Carter. It looks like FOX is the only holdout now.

by A.J. Focht

The Avengers will be coming out on DVD in just over a month on September 25. But with the first movie not even out on DVD yet, Disney has already confirmed the release date for Avengers 2. Marvel has several movies in line before Avengers 2 releases on May 1, 2015, including sequels to Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man 2.

It’s not just a load of sequels that Marvel is producing. Marvel’s next original project The Guardians of the Galaxy movie is set to release in August 2014. Details of the plot have been revealed: We’re told it’s “about a U.S. pilot who ends up in space in the middle of a universal conflict and goes on the run with futuristic ex-cons who have something everyone wants.”

Before Guardians of the Galaxy will make it to theaters, Thor: The Dark World will be premiering November 8, 2013. With the movie just over a year away, casting reports from the Thor sequel keep rolling out. The latest cast member to be announced is Lost actor, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. He will be appearing as the villainous Dark Elf, Algrim.

Two more members have joined the cast of Arrow. Jessica De Gouw will appear as The Huntress, Helena Bertinelli, in multiple episodes of the series. Torchwood actor, John Barrowman, is also joining the cast. There is some speculation as to whom Barrowman will be playing and whether he will be a hero or villain. The current rumormill is leaning towards him playing Stanley Dover Sr., from Kevin Smith’s Green Arrow run. There is also rumors that Green Arrow’s sidekick, Speedy, will be in the show and may have already been cast as Oliver Queen’s sister Thea Queen.

The new Walking Dead series premiers on October 14th. The first batch of official Season 3 photos have hit the internet. Most of the TV favorites plus some new characters like the Governor, all featured in portraits in Entertainment Weekly.

The price of seeing movies in theaters has risen to a ridiculous level lately. With the extra fees for seeing anything in 3D or IMAX, the average trip to the movies can easily run over $20 per person. That makes the news that The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will not have a price increase for the 48fps showings
so much sweeter. Everyone can save an extra few dollars this holiday season as the Hobbit will release on December 14.

The longstanding iconic relationship between Superman and Lois Lane has come to an end. Starting in Justice League #12, DC is making way for the ultimate super powered couple: Superman and Wonder Woman. This super couple is not just a one-shot publicity stunt either. The New 52 team has apparently been working toward this transition for a while and it looks to be a lasting relationship.

by A.J. Focht

Iron Man 3 is the next major movie premiering on Marvel’s line up. While there is still no full length trailers (though a teaser trailer of the logo was released), one source claims to have seen the first trailer and has posted a recap. The alleged clip features narration from Tony Stark, who talks about how he is not into the superhero game anymore after the Avengers and also includes a voice over by Ben Kingsley who is playing Mandarin. Iron Man 3 is set to release in May 2013.

Thor II: Dark World will begin shooting later this month, and another addition has been announced to the star studded cast. Alice Krige has taken on a small role in the film. Krige says that she may not even be recognizable due to makeup, leading to theories that she will play Alfyse, the queen of the Dark Elves. Thor II is set to release November 8, 2013.

The Wolverine will claw its way into theaters on July 26, 2013. Despite the mess that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Hugh Jackman says that The Wolverine will be a standalone film. The movie will take place in Japan and will have and an all new cast. Jackman will be returning, but don’t expect to see anyone else from Origins.

Superheroes aren’t the only ones getting thrown in the spotlight, NBC is developing a new super villain themed television series called Hench. The series “centers on a regular guy who, in order to support his family, gets jobs temping for super villains.” Hench is based on a comic by Adam Beechen and Manny Bello’s by the same name.

Getting ready to enter their third season, AMC’s The Walking Dead might also be crawling its way into a theater near you. It’s mostly just rumor right now, but one source is saying that AMC is looking at taking the zombie horror show to the silver screen. We will have to wait for more news about the supposed movie, but the third season of The Walking Dead premiers October 14.

Doctor Who fans now know that the Twelfth Doctor won’t be showing up for at least two more years. Matt Smith has confirmed he will be staying on as the Eleventh Doctor until 2014. For everyone who was looking forward to the Time Lord swap during the anniversary special, it looks like you’ll have to wait a few more years.

Joss Whedon is staying on with Marvel until 2015, but the nerd icon is now helping to promote another movie…or not. In a tongue-in-cheek message to his fans, Whedon calls for a boycott of indie movie Sleep Walk With Me, which he claims is threatening the continued success of his own Avengers film. However, he points out, in order to boycott the movie effectively, you will first need to call your local theater and get them to show it, so you can then not go and see it – or go see it just so you can tell your friends exactly how much it sucks (not).

by Alex Dueben

“There’s a lot of unique small businesses and DIY movements that make Portland a kind of incubator for new ideas.”
– Jacob Pander

Arnold and Jacob Pander first achieved comic book stardom with their first project, Grendel: Devil’s Legacy, written by Matt Wagner which starred Christine Spar. The Brothers have since gone on to work on a number of projects including Accelerate, written by Richard Kadrey, and Tasty Bullet, which Arnold collaborated on with Jonathan Vankin, but for the most part, the pair have worked together on comics and film projects.

Among their many cinematic projects are Triple-X – not to be confused by the Vin Diesel movie of similar title, Batman: City of Light, Exquisite Corpse, and Ginger Fox. The duo have also directed many music videos, short films and commercials in addition to writing and directing the feature film Selfless.

Their new release is Secret Broadcast Redux, a full color digital version of the comic the pair released through Oni Press in 1998. When the comic was initially released, it was accompanied by a soundtrack and music videos. Redux includes a new coda to explore what happens to the characters after the events of the story and an all new soundtrack.

Read our exclusive interview with Arnold and Jacob Pander on SuicideGirls.com.

by A.J. Focht

Following the tremendous success Joss Whedon’s The Avengers found in theaters, Whedon has been signed on to write and direct the second film. Even more exciting, Whedon is helping develop the unnamed ABC television series set in the Marvel universe. The top current theories as to what show might be are either the Hulk show or a spy series based on S.H.I.E.L.D.

Thor: The Dark World is set to release on November 8, 2013. Aside from incorporating the Dark Elves, not much is known about the storyline. Former Dr. Who Christopher Eccleston has been cast as one of the film’s villains, and the current rumor mill suggests he will be the king of the Dark Elves. According to Rene Russo, Thor and Loki’s mother, Frigga, will also have a larger role in the movie.

Marvel’s got a lot of movies in the works, and the next new original project is going to be Guardians of the Galaxy. Three-time Black List writer Chris McCoy has been hired to pen the script. Guardians of the Galaxy will be the cinema premier for several of Marvel’s lesser known characters. The announced cast of heroes includes: Star-Lord, Drax the Destroyer, Gamora, Groot, and Rocket Raccoon. The movie is scheduled in theaters in August 2014.

Marvel and Fox Studios have been working trade deals all week. The original offer consisted of extending Fox’s rights to Daredevil on the condition that they let Disney/Marvel take back Galactus from Fantastic Four. Fox has decided to turn down the offer and they are talking about letting the rights revert to Disney, unless the home of the Mickey Mouse is interested in co-financing a Daredevil movie.

Batman: The Dark Knight Rises recently hit theaters, but that hasn’t stopped Warner Bros. from thinking about the next Batman reboot. The Batman reboot is rumored to take flight just four years from now in 2016. Thought to be titled The Batman, it will take place in the Justice League universe of DC’s planned 2015 Justice League movie. The Batman won’t be an origins story, but instead will follow Batman’s second year of crime fighting.

The long awaited World of Warcraft movie has gained some recent movement. Sam Raimi recently confirmed he would not be directing as has been suggested as far back as 2009. Writer Charles Leavitt has been hired on to direct the script. There is no mention of release dates or cast lists, but this bit of information at least lets us know the project isn’t dead.

Speaking of movies we haven’t heard about for a while, Bryan Singer’s Battlestar Galactica film is also still on the table. The last big news was that John Orloff had been brought in to write the movie, now Singer has confirmed he is looking through Orloff’s script revisions. Singer didn’t have much more to say other than “it’s very cool” and that the movie would exist “quite well between the Glen Larson and Ron Moore universes.”

The ground breaking 48-frame release of The Hobbit is actually going to be quite limited. Warner Bros. might be convinced that high-frame rates are the way to the future, but their first high-frame release won’t even make it to all major cities. This won’t be their last chance though. Not only does The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey have one sequel already planned, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, but there is the possibility of up to two more sequels. New Line has registered two potential movie titles: The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The first Hobbit is set to release on December 14, 2012, and the second a year later on December 13, 2013.

by Bob Suicide

I’ve seen people rail against the consumerist, corporate culture of the current incarnation of Comic Con and I don’t really understand it. Though, to be fair, I live in Oakland; I’ve seen people rail against the consumerist, corporate culture of a trash can.

Look at the cartoons of our youth, created for the singular purpose of marketing toys to children. And here we are sitting at a panel waving a foam Sword of Omens excitedly hoping for more Chetaras’s in the next wave of toys. Look at comics: variant covers, special editions, various colored “ages” – I can’t think of a time when everything comic conventions stood for didn’t have to do with acquiring, buying, and selling stuff. Mind you, it’s all completely awesome and totally necessary stuff, but stuff nonetheless.

So, needless to say, I had a list of things I HAD to get at this year’s Comic Con. Luckily (or unluckily depending on how you look at it) everything I needed was at one booth: the Hasbro booth. Instead of the mad dash from booth to booth and line to line from years before, I only had to make it into one line. It all seemed so simple…

I was SO wrong.

On Preview Night I made a mad dash to the Hasbro booth, hyperventilating the whole way while the loudspeaker announced that there was “no running in the hall.” But for all my efforts and really awkward running, I still didn’t make it in time. The line was already wrapped several times around the booth. Security was yelling at us to come back in 30 minutes, while the Hasbro staff was yelling at us to come back at 8.30 the next morning. I decided to try to hold out at the end of the line in the hopes that some people would give up and leave or get kicked out of line. You see, they weren’t allowing exhibitors to stand in the preview line (Hasbro’s way of ensuring attendees had a fair chance of getting the toys they wanted), though I don’t think their plan worked the way they expected. I saw a lot of exhibitors go into stealth mode as they slipped into the line wearing pro badges. In fact, the guy standing in front of me did exactly that – and then some.

I know a lot of people hate scalpers, people whose sole purpose at Comic Con is to snag a large amount of toys and sell them on eBay for high prices at the exclusion of “true fans” who could’ve procured them for the retail price. The truth is, I don’t have a deep-seated hatred for scalpers. It’s times like this that I think they serve a pretty awesome purpose. Thanks to scalpers, people who are unable to travel to Comic Con have the opportunity to buy the toys they want for less than the cost of the flight, hotel, food, plus the hours (or possibly days) spent in line waiting, etc. needed if they were actually able to go.

But, this guy didn’t fall into that category. When approached by Hasbro TV and asked what he was getting and he responded with, basically, the maximum for each toy. The interviewer said, “Oh, are these all for you or are you in line for friends?” And without any shame or compunction at all the dude responded, “No, I’ve got a booth over there. I’m gonna sell them.” Facepalm. It’s one thing to get toys to sell to those who can’t make it to the con at a comparable price for the trouble it takes to get them, but to take a spot in line to sell to attendees at an inflated price when those attendees could have easily taken that spot is in ridiculously poor taste AND to say it on camera is even worse. SHAME!!!

The Interviewer tried to ignore that and kept on going, asking the guy what he thought of the new G.I. Joe movie. To add insult to injury, the dude said he had no idea there was one and that he hadn’t seen any of the trailers. REALLY? You’re in line to buy a massive haul of G.I. Joe toys and you have nothing to say about the new movie? He could have said it’s going to suck and I would have had more respect for him.

After that, the interviewer turned to me and asked me about the movie, the toys I wanted, and why I wanted them – and I gave him GOLD. The soundbites are GLORIOUS, let me tell you. If anyone knows me, getting me to shut up is the trick. But how did they thank me for all my geektastic word vomit? They waited until I signed the release, then announced the line was closed and they were out of tickets for the day.

No toys for me.

Undeterred, I decided to try again the next day. However, this level was going to be more difficult than the last. Instead of lining up at the Hasbro booth, attendees had to line up in the Sails Pavilion on the 2nd floor in the hopes of getting a ticket with a time on it indicating when they could line up at the Hasbro booth. Like a Disney fastpass, I was getting in line for a ticket for ANOTHER LONG LINE, and the Sails Pavilion line was wrapped around the hall, out the door, and down the stairs. I had lost the boss battle. All I could do was tweet to the world my plight in the hope that I could depend on the kindness of strangers for a level up…

It was then that my new best friend, lord, and savior – Robert Lewis, the owner of wishingwellcomics.com – came to my rescue. He saw my tweet, and got me the Holy Hasbro Grail. And SG member xHIGHONLIFEx, who is always amazing every year, surprised me with even more Hasbro goodies!

So it’s still possible to get the con exclusives that you want. It takes a lot of hard work, very few bathroom breaks, and even less sleep. Average attendees can walk away with bags full of limited edition swag without the need for a special pass or early admission. Hasbro even reserves a few toys for sale online the Monday following the con. But, even then it’s hard to fly into San Diego with any level of confidence that you’ll get everything you need. Every year is different and seemingly more crowded and more desperate. It could be said that’s all part of the “con experience” and saying that might make you feel better when you miss out on a toy or two – but that really sucks.

Yes, I know not everyone has the added benefit of being an SG, but maybe we can all follow Robert Lewis and XHIGHONLIFEx’s example and make it easier on each other. Just be aware of what line you’re in and the swag being passed around, and pass on the good luck or “Con Karma” when you can so everyone can have an awesome time and no one gets shanked in the eye for a panel seat.

Now the countdown for the sequel begins: SDCC 2013: Bob Suicide And The Booth of Swag. I’m not gonna nuke a fridge, but I may choke a bitch if I can’t get my G.I. Joe/Transformers Crossover.

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by Damon Martin

The Walking Dead Hits Issue 100 With A Bang

The Walking Dead is not only one of the biggest shows on television, but is also one of the best selling comic books in the world, and now Robert Kirkman’s zombie tale has reached its historic 100th issue. It has already become the top selling single issue of the 21st century, prompting a second printing less than a week after its release.

According to Image Comics, the issue sold out of its 383,612 initial order the same day it was released. Meanwhile, BleedingCool reports that a copy of the rare ComiXology variant issue (pictured) was sold on eBay for $500.

“The Walking Dead continues to greatly exceed all my expectations in all forms,” said Robert Kirkman. “I am especially excited for what this means for comics as an industry, that this is an independent comic hitting that number. The future of comics couldn’t be brighter as more and more readers are embracing new ideas in a big way.”

The Walking Dead Magazine

You know there’s a Walking Dead comic book and a Walking Dead TV show, but what about a Walking Dead magazine? Well you’re in luck! Debuting on October 23, The Walking Dead Magazine will feature an insider look at both the comic book and the TV show. With exclusive content including interviews, spoilers, and previews, it will feature plenty of extra material for fans of the zombie epic.

“This magazine will be your one stop destination for all the news pertaining to the comic, TV show, video game, toys, games, and whatever else exists in the ever-expanding Walking Dead universe! If it’s happening, you’ll find out all about it right here,” creator Robert Kirkman said.

An alternate version of the debut issue will be available exclusively in comic stores. The cover of this special edition (pictured above), will feature a previously unreleased image by Walking Dead comic artist Charlie Adlard.

Get Ready For The Ricktatorship

“Get one thing straight, if you’re staying this isn’t a democracy anymore!”

Those were the infamous final words of Rick Grimes as Season 2 of The Walking Dead closed on AMC just a few short months ago. Now that the cast is in full swing production for Season 3 some details are starting to emerge about what to expect as the group of survivors moves into a prison.

Andrew Lincoln, who portrays Grimes in the zombie drama, says he gained inspiration from a seminal apocalyptic novel to help him understand the depths to which the former sheriff’s deputy has fallen as he’s seen friends and family die time and time again since the undead came back to life.

“I was reading…The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I saved reading that until now and I think Rick is very much at that point. It’s interesting because the time scale in that book and this season I think is very similar. He’s been pushing people away all the way through Cormac McCarthy’s book to protect his son,” Lincold explained during last weekend’s San Diego Comic Con. “In doing so, he loses his humanity. I think Rick has isolated himself from the group and in his marriage and that’s the way that he is protecting everybody. I think that’s a very interesting place to start this season.”

And so begins the Ricktatorship

Executive Producer Glen Mazzara Says There Is No Safe Haven

In a recent interview with The Wrap.com, Executive Producer Glen Mazzara answered questions about the new season, and while he obviously couldn’t reveal much about the highly anticipated third season, he did confirm something that everyone should already know about a world infested by zombies…

There really is no safe place to hide.

The thought of there being some utopia that the survivors of this zombie apocalypse could escape to should just be washed from your brains right now because it ain’t happening.

“There is no safe haven in this world. I want to make that clear. At the end of our Season 2 finale that farm is overtaken and that farm was that last safe haven, and there’s no safe haven in that world. I want to be very clear about that. No one is safe. There is no safe haven,” said Mazzara.

Season 3 Photos Released: The Governor And Michonne Revealed; Merle is Back!

SuicideGirls first told you earlier this year that Michael Rooker’s raging redneck character Merle Dixon would be back in Season 3 of The Walking Dead and now photos released by AMC show his return (albeit less one hand).

The stills also reveal the identity of the badass hooded sword wielding character who debuts from the comic books to the screen to kick off next season as well as the man who will undoubtedly become the most hated villain in Walking Dead history as soon as he makes his first appearance.

Season 3 Debut Date Announced

This bit of news is short and sweet, but probably the most anticipated for any fan of The Walking Dead. As first announced at San Diego Comic Con by executive producer Glen Mazzara, The Walking Dead will return on Sunday, October 14 at 9 PM ET. There has been a 16-episode order for Season 3, and once again the show will be broken into two parts with the first series of episodes airing in 2012 and the second slate debuting in 2013.

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