Ashley Wood's "String Divers" Arrives in August 2015

STRING DIVERS LOOM LARGE AT IDW

Team of Micro-Bots Launches in August In Partnership with Ashley Wood’s 3A Toys

Acclaimed artist/designer Ashley Wood is preparing to launch his latest comic-book project at IDW this summer with String Divers, a comic series blending a team of robot adventures and string-theory physics! String Divers, directed and overseen by Wood and written by Wood’s Zombies vs. Robots co-creator Chris Ryall, features stunning artwork by Nelson Daniel and a concept that grows bigger the smaller it gets!

Spun out of Ashley Wood’s 3A Toys’ line of titular figures, String Divers incorporates string theory as threats to our universe at the sub-microscopic level have dire and lasting repercussions in our universe and across all dimensions.

    A chance to combine high adventure on a scale both bigger and smaller than what I’ve done before is appealing enough, but a chance to again work with Ash Wood and Nelson Daniel on a series packed with crazy action, mis-applied theoretical physics and micro-scale intrigue that affects the larger universe being built here is about as fun as comics gets. – Chris Ryall, Writer/IDW Chief Creative Officer

Ashley Wood will be providing story direction, concept design, art direction and covers for String Divers. Wood and Ryall are joined by Nelson Daniel, fresh off a long run on IDW’s Judge Dredd, on art. Daniel, who previously partnered with Ryall on the Stephen King/Joe Hill project, Road Rage, will again be providing art and colors on both interiors and variant covers of each issue.

“It’s always a pleasure to work with IDW and Chris,” said String Divers creator and toy designer Ashley Wood. “String Divers is just the first in a series of comics that sees IDW and 3A combine forces!”

String Divers #1, a 32-page, $3.99 comic, launches in August!

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Signeersessie Scott McCloud 15 april bij Lambiek

Woensdag 15 april om 18:00 komt Scott McCloud bij Lambiek zijn nieuwe boek De Beeldhouwer signeren.

Scott McCloud geniet wereldwijde bekendheid als strip-goeroe. Hij heeft niet alleen een aantal standaard naslagwerken over strips geschreven (Understanding Comics, Reinventing Comics en Making Comics) maar bedacht ook de 24-hour-comic-day, een inmiddels wereldwijd fenomeen waar honderden tekenaars en instellingen aan mee doen. Natuurlijk maakte Scott McCloud al eerder
verhalen als Zot! en Destroy! Nu is daar de Beeldhouwer. Kom dus woensdag langs om je eigen
gesigneerde exemplaar te bemachtigen of stuur ons een mailtje als je niet aanwezig kunt zijn maar wel graag een gesigneerde 'Beeldhouwer' in je kast wilt. Tot woensdag.

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IDW Sends Godzilla To Hell in July 2015

Godzilla Faces The Fiery Inferno Of Hell Itself

Abandon All Hope…

In over six decades of battles and triumphs, Godzilla has never faced a challenge as great as what’s coming his way this July, when Godzilla goes to hell! In Godzilla in Hell, a five-issue miniseries launching in July, Godzilla will storm through the gates of hell itself, proving that the towering behemoth is King Of The Monsters both above and below.

With no warning and no sign of salvation, Godzilla is plummeted to the deepest, darkest bowels of the infernal kingdom. The mystery of what led to Godzilla’s damnation, and what it will face, will take readers on a dark and twisted journey unlike any Godzilla story before.

A rotating creative team will each take Godzilla through a new and more dangerous layer of Hell, beginning with none other than writer and artist James Stokoe, who is returning to the character for the first time since his haunting stunner of a miniseries, Godzilla: The Half Century War.

“Drawing Godzilla must be my comfort food, because it feels really great to come back and work on pages with IDW again,” said Stokoe, writer and artist on issue 1. “Also, the list of amazing creators they’ve tapped for this series beyond my issue feels equally great as a fan, especially with the theme everyone gets to play with. You can’t get much bigger than Godzilla versus Hell!“

Successive issues in this five-part series will feature talents familiar to the Godzilla franchise, including the multi-talented writer/artists Bob Eggleton; and Dave Wachter; Wachter most recently wrapped up the apocalyptic take on Godzilla in Godzilla: Cataclysm.

New to the world of Godzilla will be writers, Ulises Farinas and Erick Freitas, together on issue #3 and Brandon Seifert, tackling issue #4; artists will be announced on these issues at a later time.

“I’m very proud with the level of quality we’ve brought to all of our Godzilla mini-series,” said editor Bobby Curnow. “Godzilla in Hell will prove no exception. It’s been incredibly fun seeing the creator’s imagination stretch to fully utilize this otherworldly premise.”

This explosive new series will join a number of other major debuts in July as part of the Five Featured Firsts program, which launches a brand new title each and every week in July. Additionally, the debut issue will feature an EC Comics homage variant cover by Godzilla: Rulers of Earth artist Jeff Zornow as part of EC Cover Month.

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Unlock "Terminator Genisys"

Unlock the new TERMINATOR GENISYS trailer with #TerminatorUnlock


Click the "Tweet to Unlock" link on the Terminator Genisys Twitter page to release the new trailer and more exclusive content. The first photo is already revealed!

Direct links:
https://twitter.com/Terminator
https://twitter.com/Terminator/status/587374640827240448
#TerminatorUnlock

"Terminator Genisys" in theaters July 1, 2015

When John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: To reset the future…

Directed by Alan Taylor

Official Site: http://terminatorgenisys.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TerminatorGenisys
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Terminator
Instagram: http://instagram.com/TerminatorGenisys
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TerminatorGenisys

"Avengers: Age of Ultron" Reveals its "Vision"

Marvel Studios presents “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.

Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” stars Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk and Chris Evans as Captain America. Together with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with the additional support of Don Cheadle as James Rhodes/War Machine, Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, the team must reassemble to defeat James Spader as Ultron, a terrifying technological villain hell-bent on human extinction. Along the way, they confront two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision.

Written and directed by Joss Whedon and produced by Kevin Feige, Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963. Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Patricia Whitcher, Stan Lee and Jon Favreau serve as executive producers. Get set for an action-packed thrill ride when The Avengers return in Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” on May 1, 2015.

More on Marvel.com: http://marvel.com/news/movies/24410/witness_vision_in_new_marvels_avengers_age_of_ultron_poster#ixzz3X6SlMfek

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"Gotham's" Penguin Champions Free Comic Book Day 2015

Comic book fan and actor Robin Lord Taylor, a.k.a the Penguin from the TV show "Gotham" wants everyone to celebrate Free Comic Book Day.

You can see Robin’s video about Free Comic Book Day here:  http://bit.ly/RobinLordTaylor_FCBD2015

·    On May 2nd, over 2,300 participating comic shop across the US, Canada and worldwide will be giving away free comic books

·  There are 50 designated FCBD titles available to choose from

·  Over 5.6 million comic books will be given away for free making this year’s event the biggest yet!

·  During FCBD, comic shops host special events such as costume contests, guest signings with comic book writers and artists, raffles, giveaways, store-wide sales, games and more for the whole community to enjoy

·  To find a participating comic shop, enter your zip code into the store locator at www.freecomicbookday.com.

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Review: "Top Five" is Chris Rock's Woody Allen Thing

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 15 (of 2015) by Leroy Douresseaux

Top Five (2014)
Running time:  102 minutes (1 hour, 42 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong sexual content, nudity, crude humor, language throughout and some drug
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Chris Rock
PRODUCERS:  Eli Bush, Barry Diller, and Scott Rudin
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Manuel Alberto Claro
EDITOR:  Anne McCabe
COMPOSERS:  Ludwig Göransson and Ahmir-Khalib “Questlove” Thompson
Black Reel Award winner

COMEDY/DRAMA/ROMANCE   

Starring:  Chris Rock, Rosario Dawson, J.B. Smoove, Gabrielle Union, Romany Malco, Cedric the Entertainer, Ben Vereen, Sherri Shepherd, Jay Pharoah, Tracy Morgan, Leslie Jones, Hassan Johnson, Tichina Arnold, Luis Guzman, Kevin Hart, Olga Merediz, Laurissa Romain, Miriam Colon, Charlie Rose, Bruce Bruce, Taraji P. Henson, Gabourey Sidibe, Whoopi Goldberg, Adam Sandler, DMX, Jim Norton, and Jerry Seinfeld

Top Five is a 2014 comedy-drama and romance from writer-director Chris Rock.  Rock stars as a comedian who is trying to make it as a serious actor, while his fiancée is turning their upcoming wedding into a reality-television event.  Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Jay-Z, is a co-producer on this film.

Top Five focuses on Andre Allen (Chris Rock).  He had a successful career as a stand-up comedian, and later became a box office star with his hit movie franchise, Hammy The Bear, which yielded three films.  Now, Allen is trying to become a serious actor with a new film, Uprize, in which he portrays Dutty Boukman, a prominent figure in the Haitian Revolution.

Allen is also engaged to marry reality-TV star, Erica Long (Gabrielle Union).  The wedding planning, the bachelor party, the wedding itself, and even the honeymoon are going to be reality-television programming on the cable network, Bravo.  While dealing with the headache of a big wedding, Allen is also busy promoting Uprize, so he grudgingly agrees to a probing interview with The New York Times.  Allen is surprised to find himself opening up to Times reporter, Chelsea Brown (Rosario Dawson), but Brown isn't quite being upfront about her intentions.

In Top Five, Chris Rock has delivered a film that recalls the films of Woody Allen.  Like Allen, Rock uses comedy to probe the inner recesses of the lead character's mind, faults, shortcomings, and foibles.  Also like Allen, Rock uses romance to bring together two conflicted people, whose motivations and yearnings are similar to one another, but are also in conflict with one another.

The drama comes into Top Five because, even with the crazy scenarios and embarrassing moments and revelations, the story takes everything seriously.  The sublime and the ridiculous cannot exist without each other, and stupidity does not absolve one of being honest with oneself.

Rock delivers a solid performance, and he only plays himself half the time in the film.  Rosario Dawson shows both dramatic and romance-comedy chops.  Wow, she is good, and I can't help but think that if she were a white girl that she would have headlined big-time romantic comedies ages ago.  Katherine Heigl and Kate Hudson aren't better than Dawson.

J.B. Smoove is smooth, and Cedric the Entertainer kills it and then some in a cameo role.  Whoopi Goldberg, Adam Sandler, and Jerry Seinfeld appear together near the end of the film and are a treat, especially Seinfeld, who is a riot.  In fact, a number of comic actors and comedians (including Tracy Morgan) make cameo appearances or have bit parts in this movie, and they do their best to make Top Five a must-see movie.

The Hollywood trade press is reporting that producer Scott Rudin wants Chris Rock to quickly make a non-sequel follow-up to Top Five, bringing back some of the cast of this film.  This movie is going to be a hard act to follow.  Top Five is Rock's best directorial effort to date, and it is one of the best films of 2014.  Rock should have received an Oscar nomination for Top Five's screenplay.

9 of 10
A+

Saturday, April 11, 2015

NOTES:
2015 Black Reel Awards:  1 win: “Outstanding Screenplay (Original or Adapted), Motion Picture” (Chris Rock);  6 nominations: “Outstanding Motion Picture” (Scott Rudin and Eli Bush), “Outstanding Actor, Motion Picture” (Chris Rock), “Outstanding Actress, Motion Picture” (Rosario Dawson), “Outstanding Director, Motion Picture” (Chris Rock), “Outstanding Ensemble” (Victoria Thomas), and “Outstanding Original Song (Ahmir-Khalib Thompson-performer and writer and Eliza Colby-performer and writer for the song, “It Ain't Easy”)

2015 Image Awards:  2 nominations: “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture” (Cedric the Entertainer) and “Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture” (Chris Rock)


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.