The Walking Dead New York Comic Con Panel was held this afternoon, series creator, writer, and executive producer Robert Kirkman has been very forthcoming with information regarding the upcoming new season, according to live recap reports from ComicBook.com
On the much rumored and anticipated appearance of the comics’ The Whisperers, “Probably, eventually. As long as we don’t get cancelled it should.” He also jokingly added, “I can’t wait to see Andrew Lincoln saying ‘Now we gotta worry about the Whispererererers’.”
Editor Sean Mackiewicz asked where the idea of wearing flesh came from. “I feel like it’s something that probably evolved over time,” Kirkman said before a tease of the Whisperers actually being the future of Fear the Walking Dead’s group, saying, “Maybe they were putting blood all over their faces and were walking around in Mexico and went, ‘Oh, it would probably be better if we just used skin.'”
“No comment,” on whether or not Nick from Fear the Walking Dead is going to be a Whisperer.
“When I run out of ideas for Negan, I’ll just kill him,” said Kirkman. “Negan was supposed to die at the end of the Something to Fear arc. He was originally supposed to be in the book for only four or five issues.”
The Walking Dead is entering is 7th successful season. Adapted from the comic book series of the same name, the megahit show follows a band of survivors navigating through an increasingly more dangerous zombie-infested world. Season 7 will pick up from the highly suspenseful end of season 6’s brutal moment depicting new villain Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) violently murdering someone with a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire. The identity of the victim is still a mystery, a detail that sparked controversy among the fan community. Negan, the comics most notorious character, is set to become a fan-favorite and the series new antagonist.
The Walking Dead Season 7 premiere will air on Sunday, October 23 at 9pm on the AMC network.
Nate Parker’s The Birth Of A Nation is a searing opus that harkens back to a period when the degradation of a human based on the color of their skin was an acceptable part of life (sadly, we haven’t come as far as we should have). Parker holds nothing back in this retelling of the rebellion, led by a minister slave named Nat Turner, in 1831. It depicts some of the most horrific acts a human being could endure in hopes of achieving catharsis and generating a discussion the audience.
Don’t waste time trying to compare this film to 12 Years a Slave. While both films dive deeply into the topic of slavery, The Birth Of A Nation feels like more of a window into this period than 12 Years a Slave. In 12 Years A Slave, there was always hope that Solomon Northop (Chiwetel Ejiofor) was always going to be rescued. Certain parts of the film felt as if it were Hollywood’s version of what slavery was in the United States. The Birth Of A Nation is a film that’s artfully structured, bringing truths to light about slavery that no American history book would ever say.
Nat Turner seems destined for greatness at a young age when, during an African rite of passage ceremony, his ancestors have visions of greatness. At an early age, he seemed to be far more advanced than the average African American boy. His life on the Turner plantation takes a sudden turn when Mrs. Turner (played beautifully by Penelope Ann Miller) notices how talented he is and offers to teach him how to read the Bible. Years later, we find him picking cotton for a new head of Turner, Samuel (played by Armie Hammer), whom Nat had grown up with on the plantation. Times are tough for the Turners, but Samuel likes to keep up appearances and is convinced by Nat to buy a slave girl named Cherry (Aja Naomi King), whom Nat has fallen in love with.
As time moves on, the economy gets tougher, and a local preacher suggests that they turn Nat’s newfound ability to preach to the plantation workers into a money making scheme. They start renting him out to plantation owners on the condition that he preach the gospel of submission to the masters.
As the tour progresses, Nat witnesses atrocity after atrocity occurring in the name of keeping order and making sure all the cotton has been picked. Samuel begins to pick up on the rage boiling over and realizes it needs to be dealt with. He starts to take a more hard-line approach towards Nat, even going so far as to whipping him in a scene that is, amazingly, equal parts uplifting and gruesome. It isn’t until Cherry is brutally assaulted by three plantation owners, though, that Samuel decides the only answer here is to fight back.
Parker has a tremendous feel for pacing, as the narrative slowly matriculates to its crescendo, and violence erupts. The feeling of pent-up rage is palpable. Don’t confuse that to mean this is a film about violence; in fact, it’s quite the opposite as The Birth Of A Nation is a movie about freedom and how far we are willing to go to achieve it.
Cinematographer Elliot Davis plays a big part in the success of this film. Davis, tasked with capturing the simmering rage of these slaves as they morphed from submissive members of the plantation to human beings who were willing to fight for the freedom to live their lives, allows his camera to creep into the psyche of the characters. He uses tight shots during the most emotional moments of the film to capture this transformation.
Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, and Penelope Ann Miller are magnificent here. Parker stands out, bringing such fire to a role that it will be difficult to ignore this type of performance around awards season. Armie Hammer and Penelope Ann Miller both command the screen as they both show such conviction to “southern values,” but are torn about how they are treating Nat. Aja Nicole King projects such resilience on the screen that our heart shatters for her every time she faces another tragedy. It will not be shocking if all four of these names are ones we hear in the coming months as we get closer to awards season.
‘Shin Godzilla’ Is A Stylistic But Polarizing Return After A 12 Year Japanese Hiatus
Toho took a break in 2004 from the Godzilla franchise. They returned to work on the American remake in 2014 and have now created their first solo Godzilla production in nearly 12 years. ‘Shin Godzilla‘ shows that time off from the brand allowed Toho to comeback with a new vision.
But it seems the more things change, the more it stays the same.
Like many previous films, ‘Shin Godzilla‘ has a plot dealing with government and nuclear war. Don’t forget the all the monster movie madness. But one of the biggest changes is to the monster itself. Godzilla has evolved within this film, quite literally actually. Amazing to see mature growth within the franchise but the ability to remain fun & campy.
“A god incarnate. A city doomed.”
Love the return of Godzilla being this ugly & villainous monster. Like he was in 1954, ‘Shin Godzilla‘ is a directly inspired by real life events. In ’54, it was after America dropped the Atomic Bomb on Japan. This time, the inspiration is Fukushima Daiichi and the recent Japanese natural disasters.
The giant kaiju always finds a way to fearful reenforce the GOD in his name. He’s a representation of our fears of not being prepared for massive destruction. Also you get the feeling that the government would have no idea what to do in an unordinary catastrophe.
That unprepared feeling is captured perfectly with the frantic camera and editing work. As we see the destruction Godzilla is causing, we cut quickly to the government having to react on the spot. I feel this was a powerful way to give a look into how a country and the world would deal with situation nearly minute by minute.
What shined was how real the politics felt. All Godzilla movies have that government presence but this one feels the realest. Some key plot points are Japan declaring a state of war for the first time since World War II or the debate if nuclear weapons should be dropped on Tokyo. The drama is all dealt with a heavy heart.
Then the focus shifts from the clumsy Prime Minister and his cabinet to the ragtag team lead by Rando Yaguchi (Hiroki Hasegawa). The movie really starts picking up here. Each member of Yaguchi’s team are outsiders in government. They want to make a difference but are usually shut out. Yaguchi gives the team time to shine by figuring out an alternative way to try to kill Godzilla.
Final Thoughts:
Instead of blindly complying, ‘Shin Godzilla‘ challenges the way we think about disasters. Maybe it’s the millennial in me but I loved seeing how strong Yaguchi’s outcast team was and how dumb the government is portrayed. Many doubted Yaguchi when he first mentioned the monster. Then they were blind to his urge against nuclear attacks. It was great to see a young rebellious hero with different point of view be able to stop the monster.
Toho used 70’s style rapid cuts and a clean visual aesthetic. To me, this shows they’re coming with a more serious approach in their craftsmanship. Don’t get me wrong, the CGI is still a bit insane at times but that’s become a trademark for the brand. I appreciate that they did still use practical elements throughout.
It also changes everything you think you know about Godzilla as a monster. He did things in this movie that I’ve never seen before. It felt like they really wanted to create a stark difference between the American Godzilla and their new Toho Godzilla. I am curious on how the hardcore fanbase will react to this film.
In short, just go see ‘Shin Godzilla‘. This is one of the longest running franchises in film history and a massive comeback for Toho.
Disney sure loves a sequel, but they took their sweet time with a follow-up to their 2007 smash hit Enchanted. The Mouse House confirms Disenchanted rolls before cameras in summer 2017, a whole ten years later. Meanwhile, Amy Adams is expected to reprise her lead role and Adam Shankman (Hairspray) is in negotiations to replace Kevin Lima in the director’s chair. Prepare to be … delighted.
THR got the news. The original Enchanted serves as an animated/live action parody of popular Disney tropes and cliches. Disenchanted, then, follows up 10 years later, with Giselle (Adams) finding herself questioning her happily ever after, which causes events that turns everyone’s lives topsy turvy — both in the real world and in the animated kingdom of Andalasia.
Disney first announced their sequel plans back in 2010, with Anne Fletcher (The Proposal) previously attached to direct. Disenchanted, however, is the project’s first significant development in years. Shankman is no stranger to the company, having previously helmed Bedtime Stories and The Pacifier under their banner. He also made Bringing Down the House for their Touchstone label. Disenchanted will be Shankman’s first movie since 2012’s Rock of Ages.
There’s no word yet on whether Alan Menken will return to write original music. It’s also unclear if James Marsden, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel or Susan Sarandon will reprise their roles. It’s a safe bet, however, to assume they will. There’s no release date announced yet, but one assumes it’ll come out around 2018 or 2019.
“It’s the perfect, crazy love story. I can’t find any other way to describe it. It was meant to be.”
– Julien Lux, New Glory Craft Brewery
The story of New Glory Craft Brewery is one of following your heart. Julien Lux is the owner of the brewery in Sacramento. It’s a long way from his hometown in France. Lux is also a man who’s not afraid to follow his heart. He followed it across the Atlantic. Then he followed it again to become one of the region’s most daring beer makers.
But before we can get to the beer, we have to go back about 10 years when boy met girl…
“When I was a senior in high school, I met an exchange student from Sacramento in France, in Paris,” Lux begins his story. “We just kind of hit it off, and end up spending the whole summer with her, showing her around, visiting Paris and all of the towns around that. And just kind of fell in love that way.”
Love is of course a tricky thing. It’s even trickier when you’re young and separated by thousands of miles and an ocean. Lux says after the summer was over she returned home. He tried to go to college in France but his heart was in America. And as they say, the heart wants what the heart wants.
“I came here for the summer and just ended up staying. I got a student visa just to be with her pretty much and see where this was going to take us.”
BOY MEETS CRAFT BEER
Living the American dream, but not quite making a living… at first. Lux says while attending college in Sacramento he was doing odd jobs when he found a real job working for Markstein Beverage Company. Markstein distributes craft beer big wigs like Sierra Nevada. It was during his time with the company that he discovered the next love of his life, craft beer.
“Just one thing lead to another where it just kind of became an obsession. Craft beer was kind of like more of a way of life than anything.” Lux says he began brewing on the weekends in his garage. Growing up near the Belgium border he says he had a fondness for Saisons and Golden Ales. But he loved to experiment, throwing whatever spices he could find into the mix to see what might he might discover.
Around this time Lux would get engaged and his two loves would come together and serve as the catalyst for changing his passion into a profession. “One of the things that was really dear for me for my own wedding is I want to serve my own beer. So I crafted two beers for my wedding.”
He says he made about 15 gallons of beer for the event. By the end of the night, it was all gone. Every last drop. And these weren’t your average beer drinkers. Because of Lux’s job with Markstein, many of the attendees had connections to the beer industry. Those people told Lux that they would buy that beer if he was selling it. They were clearly on to something. One of those beers he brewed for his big day is New Glory’s Farmhouse Saison, which is now one of the company’s best sellers.
“That’s kind of where I started to connect the dots. I sell beer for a living, and I’m obsessed about craft beer on the side, and I’m brewing every weekend and I’m like maybe there’s an opportunity there to just transition to do my own thing and make my own beer, and sell my own beer.”
BOY STARTS BREWERY
The machines New Glory uses to make its variety of beers.
If there were a movie, this is where Lux and his new bride would ride to live in their brewery happily ever after. Real life is a lot harder than that though and so is starting a brewery.
“For the first year it was really challenging, first year and a half actually,” Lux says. “You’re starting a brand-new marriage, you’re starting a brewery and you’re quitting a job that was paying you very well to just go work 16 hours to make nothing.”
Not making any money and making beers that he admits were safe. New Glory was making five standard beers, a far cry from the experiments Lux was conducing in his garage. He said at that point he was bored with his beers and so where the customers. That’s when he decided to follow his heart again.
A full menu of beer options and 24 taps. Not all of them pour beer… yet.
“(I said) ‘I’m going to brew whatever the hell I want; whatever I feel like.’ I always kind of thought craft beer was more on the heart side. It’s kind of like two parts heart, one part science.”
It was this change in philosophy that has made New Glory one of the region’s more daring beer makers. New Glory still makes those original five, but also has season offerings like its Tropical Wheat IPA, Key Lime Gose, Ginger Peach Saison and the much debated Cucumber Lemon Pilsner.
“We want to start a conversation,” he says. “I want to say we’re one of the more creative (breweries) out there. (Some) people are loving it, some people are hating it but at the end of the day I’m happy and I love what we’re doing.”
NEW GLORY- A LOVE STORY
A look inside the New Glory taproom.
And Lux wants to keep doing it, bigger and better. Three years after first opening his doors, he says New Glory will continue to push the envelope even as the company makes plans to expand its brewing operation.
Lux’s story is the age-old adage of boy meets girl, boy follows girl half way across the globe, boy makes beer, boy becomes a brewer. “Here we are 10 years later, we’re married, we’ve got a kid, a 2-year-old daughter, living the American dream.”
He laughs when he thinks about the love story that’s gotten him to this point, “I think it would make a great movie actually. Somebody should write a play about it or something.”
Two very key supporting roles have been cast on Netflix’s The Punisher. According to ComicBook.com, Ebon Moss-Bachrach has been given the role of Micro, former NSA analyst and Amber Rose Revah as Dinah Madani, a Homeland Security agent. This follows the news of Ben Barnes nailing the role of Billy Russo, Castle’s best friend, now a private military contractor.
Though the Revah role sounds new, comic book fans will recognize Micro (short for Microchip) from the books. Microchip is The Punisher’s tech guru and had his own personal reasons to wage a war on crime.
Netflix’s The Punisher Season 1 will continue the story (which began in Daredevil Season 2) of ex-military specialist and war veteran Frank Castle as he moves forward on his never-ending vengeance on crime on the streets of New York.
John Bernthal returns as Castle/The Punisher and is joined by new cast member Ben Barnes as Bobby Saint. The show is spearheaded by showrunner and writer Steven Lightfoot.
The Punisher, currently shooting, is scheduled to premier from Netflix in November 2017.
There’s a common misconception that all comics are superhero stories and aimed at children. Of course there are adult oriented books like Watchmenand The Dark Knight Returns that are clearly not for kids, but still fall right smack into the superhero genre. And that’s all it is, a genre. Comics, my friends, is a MEDIUM. And like all mediums,there’s everything under the rainbow if you look for it. What follows are 5 comics from the “independent” world (think along the lines of “indie” movies) that are not only great, but are highly accessible for new readers, and aren’t as alienating as some of the most experimental books in the genre.
Concrete by Paul Chadwick
Concrete follows the journey of political speech writer and “everyman” Ron Lithgow, whose brain in transplanted by aliens into a hulking body made of stone. With its sci-fi trappings, the various Concrete books have wide appeal. However, the book is far from being a superhero tale. Ron uses his many newfound abilities not to fight crime in the traditional sense, but to explore the world through new senses, and understand the origins of his alien abductors. The character is also deeply introspective, with beautiful narrative descriptions and dialog. Chadwick’s art is also spectacular. Influenced by Silver Age and Bronze Age comic art, it’s traditional but detailed black and white penciling that is sorely missed these days. You can purchase Concrete books here.
My Friend Dahmer by Derf Backderf
My Friend Dahmer is Backderf’s personal account of his friendship/acquaintance with notorious serial killer Jeffery Dahmer during his childhood. But the book is not your typical true crime narrative (it does appeal to fans of that now popular genre, though). Dahmer mainly tells a coming of age tale about Backderf and his friends in the 1970s. The infamous murderer is really on the periphery, yet the writer/artist still finds ways to humanize him through the eyes of others. It doesn’t defend Dahmer though, as the book pulls no punches on his strange behavior and eventual turn into monstrosity. The art by Backderf is cartoony but expressive; its thick lined, clear and impactful. You can buy it here.
Minimum Wage by Bob Fingerman
Minimum Wage has had quite a history. Originally published Fantagraphics, it now has a home at mainstream publisher Image Comics. Bob Fingerman’s hysterical book is great for fans of idiosyncratic shows like Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm, as main character Rob (a cartoonist) gets himself in and out of awkward situations while navigating life in New York City. The art is reminiscent of the best of Mad Magazine, with visual jokes and caricatures mixed in with the funny dialog and narrative. It’s a great book that is finding new life after all these years. You can buy the book here.
Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
Perhaps the best-known work on this list, Ghost World had success as a feature film in the early 2000s. But the book is where it all started, and it’s just as good, if not better. Clowes was a pioneer in comics with his groundbreaking series Eightball, and this is arguably his best work. With so many young girls and women finally discovering, embracing, and creating their own comics, Ghost World’s story of best friends Enid and Becky going through the growing pains of adolescence is identifiable to any teenager, regardless of gender. The book is also a prototype to “hipster” culture, featuring a love of vintage clothing, vinyl records, and other obsessions. The book is kept in constant publication by Fantagraphics and can be purchased here.
Optic Nerve by Adrian Tomine
Readers of The New Yorker magazine are probably familiar with Tomine’s art whether they know it or not. His clean, design-oriented art has graced many of its covers and interior pages. But Tomine got his start in comics, first self-publishing Optic Nerve and then putting out through Drawn & Quarterly. The book has always told “slice-of-life” vignettes and longer pieces with a varied focus. Tomine has done stories about rebellious youth, hipster punks, alienated immigrants, lonely elderly folks, and humorous autobiographical moments from his own life. The art is always meticulous, and the books are gorgeously packaged and printed. You can buy single issues and collected works here.
Lionsgate and CBS Films released the first trailer for ‘Patriots Day,’ directed by Peter Berg and starring Mark Wahlberg alongside an all-star cast.
The cast includes Kevin Bacon, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons, Michelle Monaghan, Alex Wolff, Themo Melikidze, James Colby, Michael Beach, Rachel Brosnahan, Christopher O’Shea, Jake Picking, Jimmy O. Yang, Vincent Curatola, Melissa Benoist, and Khandi Alexander.
About ‘Patriots Day’:
In the aftermath of an unspeakable attack, Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) joins courageous survivors, first responders, and investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the bombers before they strike again. Weaving together the stories of Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon), Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons) and nurse Carol Saunders (Michelle Monaghan) this visceral and unflinching chronicle captures the suspense of one of the most sophisticated manhunts in law enforcement history and celebrates the strength of the people of Boston.
‘Patriots Day’ gets a limited release on December 21 with screenings in Boston, New York, and Los Angele; with a nationwide release on January 13.
Official Funko press announced last week that the Animaniacs join the Funko Pop! family in November. Yakko, Wakko and Dot are on their way, along with Pinky and the Brain. We got a sneak peek at the Animaniacs Funko figures via an official press release.
Animaniacs Funko Pops Have Pay or Play Contracts
Animaniacs falls firmly in the category of “90s toons that cause severe nostalgia”. The show’s weird premise worked out well thanks in part to the star power backing it up. The Warner Brothers (and their long-neglected sister) are actually creatures living on the WB movie lot. For years, they were locked up in the iconic water tower for creating mischief and mayhem.
To the casual viewer, and the target audience, it’s a premise that makes just enough sense to support the nonsense of the variety-style show. For the movie buff, or the adult revisiting a childhood favorite, the show’s satirical brilliance shines through from even this initial skit.
Eventually, Animaniacs won eight daytime Emmy awards and a Peabody. Songs and skits still inspire teachers to share the now decades-old show in the modern classroom.
The show’s effects on popular culture continues to grow as the characters are immortalized in Funko Pop! figure form this November.
One is a Genius, The Other’s Insane
Besides the Animaniacs themselves, the most popular characters on the show quickly became Pinky and the Brain. These two lab rats spent every night doing the same thing “trying to take over the world!” As the theme song explains, the experiments have created very unique personalities in each of the characters. However, the true genius of the two is left to interpretation.
Once more, the success of the show lies in its complex, adult commentary. Presidents and movie stars alike make appearances delivered by the brilliant voice acting skills of Robert Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche. Both still travel the convention circuit to the delight of Animaniacs and Pinky and the Brain fans. Paulsen can still deliver his fast-paced “Nations of the World” song flawlessly.
Now the voice actors can put themselves on a shelf. With the amount of love they still have for the show, there’s little doubt that they’ll snag these as soon as they hit the market.
Steven Spielberg Presents: Animaniacs ran from 1993 to 1998. It is now available to stream on Netflix.
Funko Pop! figures of Yakko, Wakko, Dot, Pinky and The Brain will be released next month.
Recently deceased music and fashion icon Prince was going to appear on Netflix’s Luke Cage, according to ComicBookMovie.com. The idea makes sense for a show steeped in so much much music and musical performances. And it also connects to the shows now famous “swear jar.”
The tidbit was revealed on showrunner Cheo Hodari Cocker’s twitter, “The “Swear Jar” was for Prince. I was going to show him the first two episodes and convince him to play in episode 13″.
Luke Cage follows the street level battle of ex-con Cage as he attempts to clean up the streets of Harlem from the iron grip influence of crime lords Cottonmouth and Diamondback.
The Netflix show stars Mike Colter, Simone Cook, Marshella Ali, Alfre Woodard, Theo Rossi and Frank Whaley. Ex-music journalist Cheo Hodari Cocker serves as head writer, showrunner, and executive producer.
All 13 episodes of Luke Cage are currently available for streaming on Netflix.
Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, and Penelope Ann Miller are magnificent here. Parker stands out, bringing such fire to a role that it will be difficult to ignore this type of performance around awards season. Armie Hammer and Penelope Ann Miller both command the screen as they both show such conviction to “southern values,” but are torn about how they are treating Nat. Aja Nicole King projects such resilience on the screen that our heart shatters for her every time she faces another tragedy. It will not be shocking if all four of these names are ones we hear in the coming months as we get closer to awards season.
