ESPN, Electronic Arts, Disney, and the NFL are partnering up to bring competitive Madden to the public. Agreeing to a long-term, multi-event competitive gaming contract. The first one ever for the network. The agreement includes coverage of the MADDEN NFL 18 Club Championship final which will take place during Super Bowl week.
As well as the MADDEN Ultimate League which starts in February. This is not the first time ESPN has taken an interest in giving esports the television treatment. Back in 2015, the network agreed to show finals matches for Heroes of the Dorm on ESPN2. A collegiate Heroes of the Storm tournament which the network aired up until last year after Blizzard opted for a more broader online audience and decided to air its tournament on Facebook.
The Club Championship involves 32 Madden players taking control of one of the NFL’s 32 teams and going head-to-head with each other. The winner of the championship game wins a total prize purse of $403,000. Competing for the right to play in the final are Mufasa Jones, Drag, GOS, Killer Mike, Skimbo, Problem, SpotMePlzzz, and X_D3liverance. The final round of the Madden NFL 18 Club Championship will air live on February 1st at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
We conclude the second-to-last arc of Black Science in spectacular fashion. Massive reveals, fail-safes, and battles have been the key to this arc, there’s no shortage in issue thirty-four.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
This is really the first time we’ve seen our original Grant and Sara work together, which is crazy. Nate continues to really come into his own and continue his strong character journey.
The big shocking turn at the end is that the conversation Grant has been having, on that mysterious porch in the woods somewhere, is actually with his father. It’s a gut-wrenching conversation that ends with one last bid for tear shedding.
As forgotten characters Doxta and Pia’s husband come back into the picture there’s a sense of fulfillment. This series has been a journey taken by both reader and creators.
I would give anything to sit in on a brainstorming session with Remender and Scalera. The aliens and creatures they come up with are so wildly different from each other and any other sci-fi property.
Remender really rewards readers that have stuck with the book. It’s a perfectly executed narrative and pace, playing cards at the best possible time. Black Science is top-to-bottom a masterpiece.
Is there a comic book that gives you more bang for your buck? The level of craft and dedication put into this series comes through clearly every issue. Every panel on every page is so carefully detailed and planned out that you could get lost for days just looking.
These characters are so flawed and fragile, it’s what makes them so easy to relate to. Their experiences are real for anyone without a perfect experience growing up.
Rick Remender crafts these outrageous landscapes and scenarios, and throws our brave, tragic heroes into them. Matteo Scalera and Moreno Dinisio bring his vision to life in such a grand and unique way. No other science fiction book is consistently this mind-blowing and gorgeous for this long.
Black Science #34 is a perfect example of why this is one of the best comic books in the industry. On the surface there’s gigantic tapestries of gorgeous chaos to get lost in. At the core there’s a tragic tale of redemption that goes for the gut.
A marketing stunt that is so good, film studios are scrambling, Danny McBride is Crocodile Dundee’s son. Dundee: The Son Of A Legend Returns Home has taken the internet by storm. These teaser trailers remind me of Ryan Reynolds leaked footage from Deadpool. Get the fan support behind it, then make the film.
Check out the latest teaser below in which McBride tries to tame a water buffalo.
The idea behind the commercials: Crocodile Dundee is back. Well, actually, he’s missing in the Outback. And the only person who might be able to find him is the loudmouthed American son no one knew he had.
Introducing Danny McBride as Brian Dundee. This son of a legend is forced to channel his Aussie roots as he teams up with a local expert, Wally Jr., played by Chris Hemsworth. Together, they’ll embark on the ultimate adventure in the land down under.
It’s time to live up to the family name.
Super Bowl Sunday this joke will meet its punchline.
DUNDEE: The Son Of A Legend Returns Home (2018) – Official Teaser Trailer #2
DUNDEE: The Son Of A Legend Returns Home (2018) Official Movie Teaser Trailer #1
If you are loving what Scott Snyder has been doing on DC Metal with the Justice League, then get ready because more is on the way! DC Comics is promising that the conclusion of Metal “will shake the DC Universe to its deepest foundations and do something that even the most passionate fans will characterize as unimaginable and utterly audacious.”
The event will set up “even more bold and daring storytelling” with a four-issue weekly mini-series, Justice League: No Justice, written by Snyder, Tynion IV, and Williamson with pencils by all-star artist Francis Manapul. The first issue is scheduled for May 9.
Justice League: No Justice
In this four-issue miniseries, the super-villain Brainiac arrives on Earth with a dire warning for the Justice League: there’s a threat coming to destroy Earth, one that the heroes are ill-equipped to handle. Brainiac thinks he holds the key to victory, but it means combining members of the League with some of the most dangerous villains in the DC Universe and sending them into battle against this extinction-level menace. The stakes are at their absolute highest; if one of these teams fail. It’s game over.
Snyder had this to say:
We thought we knew the entire map of the DC cosmos. We thought we had explored all there was to explore. But now we know that all this time the Multiverse was nothing but a fishbowl, and now we’ve been dumped into the ocean, unleashing terrifying new threats, and wondrous new possibilities. METAL opened up channels of storytelling that Francis, James, Joshua and I are excited to explore in a big way. When we’re finished, fans will never look at the Justice League in the same way again.
Manapul added:
I’m laying out the biggest action of my life. The Justice League realizes that they need to expand their reach to become something bigger than they have ever been before. If you thought my work for JUSTICE LEAGUE: DARKSEID WAR was huge, I’m taking the League to the edge of the cosmos with NO JUSTICE. Anyone who has asked for Harley Quinn, Martian Manhunter, Starfire, Zatanna, the Atom, Raven, or Doctor Fate to be in their personal Justice League will stand up and cheer.
All this will set up a “family” of Justice League titles, beginning in June, headlined by Snyder on Justice League with additional titles written Tynion IV, Williamson and more in the coming months.
What do you guys think? It seems like there are big changes coming for the JL. Changes that may include new team members if the below images are any indication. Check them out, comment and discuss. And as always come back to Monkeys Fighting Robots for more information on this as it develops.
This is not your average Suicide Squad story. This story follows the life of Juan Soria, a true expendable member of Task Force X. Last issue, we learned of his life and how he always wanted to become a superhero. When Juan finally emerged with superpowers, they ended up being the lamest powers ever. Despite this, he tried to join the Justice League, but they denied him entry due to his less than impressive powers. He turned to crime to make ends meet, but he soon incarcerated and placed in Belle Reve. Juan’s first mission involves fighting aliens that have taken over a theme park. With him losing his superpower hand, Juan finds himself surrounded by the enemy. Will he survive?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
Starting from where Juan lost his hand, the Squad comes in to save him and keep him moving. As the Squad continues on their path towards the center of the alien hive, Juan gets into more and more trouble along the way. He goes as far as losing his other hand in the mouth of one of the aliens. By the time the Squad reaches the alien queen, Juan is a broken shell of a man… despite this, he is still able to save the day.
Si Spurrier has created one of the most fun Suicide Squad stories to date. This story captures what makes the Suicide Squad of today great. At its core, the Suicide Squad comic is a dark zany comedy. A reader might feel bad for the amount of trouble Juan goes through, but you can’t help but laugh at his tragedy. He gets pushed through so much he’s left essentially broken, yet still somehow save the day in ridiculous fashion. The ending tops off this dark comedy with a twist I did not see coming. It’s just an overall good time and I can’t wait to see what Spurrier has in store next.
Art:
The Art team has once again gone above and beyond for the story. Fernando Pasarin’s pencil work has given the readers some epic action and creepy aliens to enjoy. It fits the tone of the story perfectly, especially during the bloody action scenes. The amount of detail is fantastic and highlights the violent nature that the Squad is known for. The colors of Blond help the pencils stand out as well, bringing pencils and colors together perfectly. I enjoy this team and would love to see them work more on the Squad.
Conclusion:
This issue capped-off a fun side story in the Suicide Squad series. It had awesome action, funny dialogue, and a twist ending I didn’t see coming. The art was amazing and leaves me hoping to see the team work together again. If you haven’t picked it up yet, pick up the last issue and this one if you enjoy dark comedy. You won’t be disappointed.
DC Comics/Young Animal’s Doom Patrol #10, by Gerard Way, Nick Derington, Nick Fowler, Tamara Bonvillain and Todd Klein returns after a brief hiatus to drop the group into its latest mind-bending and meta-narrative adventure.
Doom Patrol #10 Written by: Gerard Way Art by: Nick Derington Inks by: Tom Fowler Colors by: Tamara Bonvillian Letters by: Todd Klein
Writing
There really is no comic out there like Doom Patrol right now. Every issue is filled with so many ideas and so much energy that the book almost vibrates. Issue #10 is no different, as we once again find the Doom Patrol in the middle of…something weird and crazy. It seems that people have been ingesting the new product $#!+ and the shit has hit the fan. Reality itself is breaking apart, and the ‘villainous’ Mr. Nobody is pleased as a peach, going as far to appear on the local news. There’s also tap dancing, Niles Caulder (The Chief), and the mysterious organization Retconn.
The real beauty of this title, which is highlighted in this issue, is how at its heart this is a comic about finding a group to belong too. The theme of family is explored here with not only Lucious and his parents (The kid actually says “I’m not going anywhere without my family”) but with the growing relationship between Terry None and Casey Brink, a ‘nobody’ and a ‘nothing’, who are also about to have a child of some kind. What Gerard Way has done here is quite clever and beautiful when you think about it; underneath all the insanity we have families getting together and same-sex couples having children. But the insanity is there, as is the humor, and we great some fantastic character moments like Negative Man in Lucious’ room, Cliff Steele’s line of ‘I think my bike used to be a person’ and pretty much anything Flex Mentallo says.
Art
Derington, Fowler, and Bonvillain are creating some of the most eye-popping and page leaping pop art in comics today. There is genuine energy and movement to the images, with the colors adding a great sense of atmosphere. The best thing that can be said is the art easily compliments the story; the two simply are a perfect blend.
The page layouts and designs are also clean and sharp. Everything is crisp. It’s one of the most eye-pleasing books out there.
Todd Klein’s letters are also worth a mention, as some the sound effects and fonts are simply wonderful.
Conclusion
Doom Patrol may not be your typical superhero team book, but that is exactly the reason this book needs to exist and why you should pick it up. There is so much stuff packed in in its pages you will take something from it and have a great unique experience as you do so.
Before he directs Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones 5, Steven Spielberg might be trying to squeeze in a remake of a classic musical: West Side Story.
There has been no official announcement that Spielberg will remake the 1961 epic, which went on to win 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. He’s wanted to tackle this material for a while, however, mentioning it several times in interviews. Now, it seems a real, legitimate casting call has gone out via Twitter:
It certainly seems legit. And if you notice, Tony Kushner, who wrote both Munich and Lincoln, is attached as the screenwriter. It all makes sense, really, and Spielberg is known for sneaking a movie in before he takes on a grand scale blockbuster. He just did it with The Post, which started production in the spring of 2017 and was finished in November.
Of course, West Side Story seems like a much larger undertaking with more moving parts than The Post. Perhaps that’s the reason for the mass casting call. It will be interesting to see what Spielberg does with a musical. And let’s all hope he doesn’t employ the same makeup techniques the original used in order to make certain actors appear, ahem, more Spanish…
If you’re a huge Charmed fan like myself, this is one of the show’s most memorable quotes. A reboot is getting closer and closer as CW just ordered a pilot.
The original idea for the reboot was to be set in the 70’s and serve as a prequel to the original.
Now the story will focus on three young witches who are also feminists.
“This fierce, funny, feminist reboot of the original series centers on three sisters in a college town who discover they are witches. Between vanquishing supernatural demons, tearing down the patriarchy, and maintaining familial bonds, a witch’s work is never done.”
The script is being written by Jane The Virgin writers Jessica O’Toole and Amy Rardin. Brad Silberling will direct and Jennie Urman is executive producer.
CW
Not everyone from the original cast is happy about the reboot. When rumors started swirling in 2013 they all went to social media to share their thoughts.
“Lame lame lame lamertons.” Rose McGowan who played Paige tweeted.
Alyssa Milano who played Phoebe followed up with “The thing about them doing a #charmed reboot is … it just … it feels like yesterday,” she wrote Friday. “It feels too close.”
Even Shannen Doherty who left the show after three seasons chimed in.
“It’s not happening,” Doherty told THR back in October. “I mean, I just don’t ever foresee it happening now. It would be far too soon, but I also don’t think you need the original cast for a reboot. I know our fans really want us back, but who knows? We were basically a reboot of Practical Magic in its own way, so they could redo it, but now it should just rest.”
Charmed originally aired on WB (now CW) for eight seasons from 1998 to 2006.
As we find ourselves in a new era of Marvel Comics, I’ll be providing a weekly report on all Legacy titles. Your one-stop guide to what’s going on in the 616 universe from MFR’s resident Marvel fanatic. Below, we’ll dive into each book from this week and then a Marvel Legacy report card. Let’s dig in!
Also, check out our coverage from the previous weeks!
Thanos was already one of Marvel’s strongest titles before Marvel Legacy, yet Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, and Antonio Fabela still manage to elevate it to a must-read comic for not just Marvel fans, but everyone.
Cates does an exceptional job at keeping these two different age Thanos from sounding like the same character. His voice for the cosmic Ghost Rider is very much its own, especially when you learn his identity.
This comic is big and loud, with massive layouts and environments all beautifully crafted. Geoff Shaw does magical things with scale and power. He even manages to extract sympathy for the Hulk “dog” in a brief moment.
Colorist Antonio Fabela gets your eyes color-drunk with how he plays with the purple skin of our Mad Titans. Every time a flame or light reflects on Thanos’ face, it’s gorgeous. He fills this dark, cosmic fortress with strong and stimulating color contrast, starting with his bright blue eyes.
This story keeps getting bigger and better. They’re clearly not taking their foot off the gas pedal and delivering the most metal story in comics.
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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #794 “Threat Level: RED” Part One
Marvel needs to time their Previews better. If the cliffhanger at the end of this issue was completely unspoiled, it would’ve dominated the internet comic book community. Instead, we knew it was coming from the first sight of a pumpkin bomb.
Regardless, Norman Osborn/Carnage might be the only symbiote story left to tell that could get me excited. Slott is planning to go out with a batshit crazy bang.
This issue of ASM read like a classic Marvel comic book. Scorpio trying to takeover the world with the remaining hour of his year’s worth of future knowledge is pure mustache twirling goodness. Even Spidey’s ultimate solution was simple and effective like a 70’s comic.
Stuart Immonen and Marte Gracia have been so consistently stellar on this series. Dan Slott’s Spider-Man work may divide fans but we can all agree that these issues are beautiful at least.
For those of you keeping score, this is the third “Where In The World Is Wolverine?” page. I’m sure it’s not hard to find people complaining about these “after-credit scenes,” but I’ve enjoyed them thus far.
Slott looks to be going balls-to-the-wall with his final stretch writing Spidey. ASM #794 is a classic feeling Spider-Man comic that effectively cranks the ridiculous up.
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AVENGERS #677 “No Surrender” Part Three
This week’s issue of Avengers is all about Quicksilver being a pain in the ass as the massive collection of Earth’s mightiest heroes try to respond to the threat they face. It appears The Black Order is engaged in a chess match with the Lethal Legion where the pieces are Avengers.
“No Surrender” suddenly feels a lot more like “Contest Of Champions” with this installment. With thirteen issues still to go, we put the Voyager mystery on the back burner and try solving this immediate danger ripping through their planet.
The trio of writers are utilizing the length of this story without stretching the narrative out too thin. Spending time with Quicksilver’s issues with Rogue and himself kept this from dragging its feet or being a dull setup. The strength of this gigantic collection of Avengers lies in the time we spend with each of them intimately.
The biggest takeaway from these first three issues is that with Pepe Larraz and David Curiel, there’s no shortage of explosive action. A big story like this feels like a summer blockbuster event that we can enjoy without it bleeding into everything else from Marvel.
—
BLACK PANTHER #169 “Klaw Stands Supreme” Part Four
Ta-Nehisi Coates takes a backseat for this almost entirely silent comic book. Leonard Kirk and Laura Martin take the wheel in a masterful effort of “showing, not telling.”
Klaw’s plan to bring his departed sister back to life includes a period where all sound is stripped from the facility. The entire issue is a silent, pulse-pounding action sequence.
The issue is a real quick read obviously, but gives you plenty of reasons to linger on the art a bit longer than usual as it’s the driving force of the narrative. Readers will hear the white noise that our cast does as we experience fights that are both well executed and perfectly choreographed. It’s almost like that ringing you hear in movies when a grenade goes off.
Kirk and Martin prove they can handle the driver’s seat any time they need to. This issue is an impressive display of the storytelling power of art by way of exhilarating action sequences.
—
LEGION #1 “Trauma” Part One
David Haller stories are historically a source for abstract art and bizarre adventures told in peculiar ways. There’s not much of that going on here in Peter Milligan’s Legion #1.
Given the success of the FX show, one would assume this comic would be able to dive deep into the strangeness. The show doesn’t shy away from the subject material’s densely abstract nature, so why does the comic feel so watered down?
The script doesn’t do much for David as a character. Max Bemis wields multiple personalities in much more interesting way in Moon Knight. This issue doesn’t betray David’s history or anything, it’s just the safest and most vanilla use of him maybe ever.
Wilfredo Torres and Dan Brown are in the same boat as Milligan. The biggest disappointment is in how bland the art is. The simplistic and limited approach to lines and color has its charm, but doesn’t provide us with the insanity we’re accustomed to exploring.
While it’s not technically a poorly put together issue, Legion #1 is disappointing in how bland it is. Whether you’re a longtime fan, coming from the TV show, or a new X-Men reader, this introductory issue likely isn’t what you wanted from a David Haller story.
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LUKE CAGE #169 “CAGED!” Parts Four
David Walker injects some life back into Luke Cage as he wraps up this Ringmaster prison mine tale. It’s hard to tell if this issue is more satisfying or that it just feels good to be done with the setting and move on.
Luke having his powers and personality restored made this much less of a chore to read than the previous issues. Where did that spark go from Power Man & Iron Fist? Even the pre-Marvel LegacyLuke Cage arc was more interesting than this brainwashed prison of mindless drones.
David Walker has proven he writes a mighty fine Luke Cage, but maybe he can’t concoct compelling stories to put him in alone? We know he can write a hell of a script from Occupy Avengers and PM & IF. Perhaps his Cage works best in an ensemble?
Walker’s other Marvel titles also had fantastic art on them. Nothing against Sanna and Menyz, I just don’t think this was a good fit from the start of this doomed story.
“CAGED!” felt like it could’ve been told in 2-3 issues max. This final chapter is the most fun this arc has been. David F. Walker deserves another shot at a team book that features Luke Cage as this series has been cancelled.
—
MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #2 “Fate Of The Four” Part Two
Zdarsky is one of the voices at the forefront of Marvel Legacy‘s mission to make classic comics again. Even with just half the team, this series is completely capturing what made Fantastic Four comics great.
Ben and Johnny on a treasure hunt, in search of the Richards family, that takes them to Monster Island and on a trip down memory lane with Dr. Doom. Little moments like Johnny’s cleanliness by fire make the story go straight for the heart of every FF fan.
Exploring the angle that Doom’s college pursuit of bettering Reed Richards may not have been strictly based on academic achievement is an interesting route to take. It’s a subtle seed being planted hinting at the path back to villainy for Victor.
Jim Cheung, John Dell, Walden Wong, and Frank Martin treat us to giant monsters, underground tunnels, gorgeous flashback battles, and a full range of emotions on display. Cheung puts Ben Grimm front and center, extracting so much heart from the man made of rocks.
Marvel Two-In-One is everything that Marvel Legacy‘s mission statement promised. Zdarsky is flexing so many writing muscles effectively and the art team is spectacular.
Never forget Victor Von Doof.
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PHOENIX RESURRECTION #4 “The Return Of Jean Grey” Part Four
This wasn’t the big turn I was expecting it to be after two issues of nothing but this was highly entertaining. Matthew Rosenberg’s script has been satisfying despite the crawling pace and amount of standing around.
As much as I enjoy seeing Strong Guy and Hellion rubbing elbows among a sea of X-Men, I don’t see why everyone is along for the ride. I appreciate that the Phoenix calls for an all-hands response but it seems unnecessary.
Ramon Rosanas does masterful work with these layouts, giving this its uneasy cinematic feel. The opening scene with the burnt scenery all just out of Jean’s view is an absolute spectacle.
Ultimately, the cinematic scope and eerie atmosphere make up for a frustratingly slow pace. Despite its flaws, we’ll still be on the edge of our seat next issue as Logan approaches that diner.
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X-MEN: BLUE #20 “Cross-Time Capers” Part Four
The time displaced X-Teens wrap up their time travel mystery tour with a battle against the future Brotherhood. Cullen Bunn tied a nice bow on the end of this arc. He’s got himself a pretty great story success rate since the ResurreXion reset.
Despite the heavy layers of paradox explanation and timeline alteration in this issue, it’s never actually hard to follow. Bunn breaks it down and serves it up on an easily digestible dish.
Magneto comes out as the MVP by the end. That closing line on the last page is chilling.
X-Men: Blue is probably the most consistent X-Book in the lineup right now. It’s not the best of the bunch every week, but it’s been on a focused and steady path that has rarely disappointed.
R. B. Silva, Adriano Di Benedetto, and Rain Beredo are an artistic force to be reckoned with. The colorful and lively art is a major factor in the book’s consistent appeal. These are some of the best action sequences in Marvel comics, every page is bursting with color. It’s like biting into a Gusher filled with color.
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X-MEN: BLUE ANNUAL #1 “Poison-X” Part One
Just when you thought you couldn’t stand another Venom crossover, they serve up another one! Only this time it’s fantastic!
Symbiotes are the most stale subject matter in comics. We need to give them a break.
Having said that, Cullen Bunn serves up a double Blue week and does not disappoint. This oversized “Poison X” setup is the best use of an Annual issue I’ve read in a few years.
This story looks and feels like the X-Men and Venom thrown into a 90’s Star Wars comic book. Edgar Salazar and Matt Milla knock this one out of the park.
Goddamn do the Starjammers look fantastic in action. There’s a lot of updated 90’s characters and they look spectacular. Even Venom is a unique take, making him look more alien than usual.
This is easily the best Annual issue of Marvel Legacy and ResurreXion combined. Cullen Bunn is on fire, “Poison X” couldn’t have a more promising or fun setup. To make things even better, they slapped “CLASSIFIED” labels on the preview covers of issues five and six. Hooray surprises!
Hands down, The Godfather is one of the most iconic films in history. Its individual performances are among the most-admired, its lines are among the most-quoted and its themes, among the most-imitated. It was nominated for 10-total Oscars, winning three, including Best Picture and Best Actor, on the heels of a brilliant performance by Marlon Brando.
Considering how much rich cinematic history is involved with Francis Ford Coppola’s film, fans always reminisce about one of its most-memorable lines, “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.”, via the late Richard S. Castellano’s character, Clemenza.
The other ill-fated character involved in that monumental scene who meets his unfortunate demise, the driver, Paulie Gatto. It is such an important scene because it sets the tone for the rest of the film, in that, do not ever go against the Corleone family. He didn’t have many lines, let alone scenes, but Johnny Martino’s portrayal of the character was fantastic. It was his performance that made Paulie a favorite among die-hard fans of the film.
Don’t let the screen time fool you. The Gatto character is mentioned during the early parts of the film in the double digits. He is not only incredibly recognizable, but extremely important to the film. No one knew what he was up to and his doublecross almost paid off in killing Vito Corleone. The book, by Mario Puzo, tells a slightly different tale than the film because Paulie is actually used by Sollozzo, played by Al Lettieri, as he is unaware the plan is to murder him.
“He was kind of a cute character in the beginning of the movie,” Martino said. “It’s funny. He’s at a wedding with the Godfather and he’s thinking about a wedding purse. I think the viewers like me at the beginning of the film, kicking the camera and stuff, but when they found out I set up the old man, ‘The Don’, it was curtains for Paulie. I can’t imagine not being in the film though. It was an amazing experience. One of the greatest movies of all time.”
The story, on the other side of the camera, regarding the character is an amazing one. It is one of those true Hollywood ‘Did-You-Know?’-type stories. Though Robert De Niro did win an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role as Vito Corleone in The Godfather: Part II, arguably one of the greatest sequels in any franchise, ever, he initially auditioned unsuccessfully for the role of Sonny Corleone (James Caan), but was in on Paulie as well. When Martino went in to read for the part, he did the Gatto death scene and read alongside Garry Marshall, the creator of Happy Days, in front of then-Paramount President Robert Evans.
“I had met one of the producers on the film, Albert Ruddy, at a party in 1970,” Martino said. “I called him because I wanted to be in the movie. I auditioned, got the call that I got the part and went to New York to start filming. Al came up and asked me what made me call the day I did to audition and I told him that it was just a hunch. He told me how lucky I was because I had beat out guys like De Niro and Jerry Orbach. If I would not have made that phone call on that exact day, I might not had been in the movie, De Niro would have been Paulie, but then he would not have been in The Godfather: Part II.”
“It’s a great book that tells my whole story,” Martino proclaimed. “It talks about my family, nine children, one girl and eight boys, and talks about my career. It covers how I started as a singer and then became a Hollywood actor and got to meet people like, Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy. It has been an amazing ride.”
One of the more fascinating stories from his childhood though, growing up in the presence of one of the most-notorious Italian-American gangsters in history, Charles ‘Lucky’ Luciano. Historically, he is considered to be the ‘Father of Organized Crime’ in the States.
“In 1947, I was 10-years-old,” Martino said. “My father took both my brother and I for a ride to this office building. My father got out of the car to greet a gentleman that came out and then the man gets in the car, along with my father, and sits in the front seat. He looks at me and asks me if I understand English, I told him I did. He asked me to always speak it in his presence because he missed America and ‘Lucky’ Luciano was my uncle.”
In what was a fitting end to the interview, while Martino was talking about Luciano, The Godfather score started to play loudly.
Art
