Blog Archives
Doctor Who S10 E09: ‘Empress of Mars’
Traditionally Doctor Who is considered to be the protector of Earth and mankind against all manner of alien invaders, but what happens when it’s mankind who are the invaders, and the invades are former archenemies of The Doctor? That’s the conundrum when Victorian age explorers land on Mars amongst a hive of Ice Warriors – what will The Doctor do? Meet me after the small time and space jump for my thoughts on “Empress of Mars.”
Pulp Novels Make For ‘The Greatest Adventure #1’ On The Wednesday Run
I was introduced to Tarzan of the Apes through the Ballantine softcover publications of the Edgar Rice Burroughs pulp classics.
My father had collected and read collected those books during the mid-to-late 1970’s. in the early 1980’s, I found them on the shelf, dusted them off, and stared at the covers for what seemed like forever! The Beasts of Tarzan, Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar, Tarzan Triumphant and Tarzan and the Leopard Men, as well as the others, are remembered very, very fondly.
Those covers by artist extraordinaire, Neal Adams, leapt off the page with thrills, menace and dramatic excitement! They introduced me to pulp adventure and fueled my imagination, leading me towards a burgeoning love of the fantasy and science fiction genres.
They also cemented a common pop culture bond between father and son.
Through Tarzan, other Burroughs classics came to my attention, chiefly, the strange and fascinating worlds of Barsoom and Pellucidar and all the characters that inhabited those continents.
Today sees a childhood imagination rekindled with the intermingling of disparate characters in the pop culture world of comic books.
Of course, that series would need to have the greatest pulp title ever devised…and it does with: The Greatest Adventure #1!
Read the rest of this entry
This Will Make You: Happy! #1 But You’ll Need A Loan For Joe Kubert’s Tarzan Of The Apes: Artist’s Edition On The Wednesday Run – September 26, 2012
Hoo-boy!
Image Comic, one of the “independent” publishing companies, keeps on knocking new comic book series’ out of the park! Their titles have been making the headlines across the top of Wednesday Run columns throughout 2012 – and today, September 26, is no different.
But there are two picks to choose from this week. One that will be sure to put a smile on your face (it’s in the title of the new series, after all) and one that you might have to mortgage your house in order to purchase (but worth every penny of interest you’ll have to pay)!
Choice is a good thing, right? Check them out after the jump!
Reboots – What Are They Thinking?
Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man
I’m old. I’ve seen three different Godzillas, three distinct Batmans, three versions of Charlie’s Angels, three takes on Doctor Who, at least three DC Universes, two cinematic Spider-Mans and at least half a dozen each of Sherlock Holmes and Tarzan. Franchise characters tend to exist in their own universe, whether bound by copyright or movie rights or just the nature of their worlds. Sometimes, the creative powers that be will restart that universe over again. This is called a reboot. What is it about reboots? Why do they keep happening, and why do they work? Let’s find out after the jump.
John Carter Bombs Big Time While The Lorax Stays Strong – Biff Bam Pop’s Box Office Wrap-Up Report, Weekend of March 9th, 2012
Anybody around the world with the name John Carter is currently cursing the new release from Disney, as its arrival in theatres this week came with a gigantic thud. What may turn out to be one of the biggest bombs of 2012 could only muster second place, while last week’s number one managed to stay strong. Here’s how the weekend turned out:
It was a strong showing for Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax in it’s second weekend in theatres. The film grossed $39 million, down only 44% from its opening number. The Lorax has already made $121 million, and I’m guessing we’re going to see it cross the $200 million mark before it leaves theatres.
Can John Carter, Silent House or A Thousand Words Unseat The Lorax? Biff Bam Pop’s Box Office Predictions, Weekend of March 10th, 2012
Three high profile new releases are looking to unseat The Lorax from the top of the box office this weekend, but will any of them be able to take the throne? Here are our predictions:
John Carter, known to sci-fi fans around the world better as John Carter of Mars, is an adaptation of the much-beloved series from Edgar Rice Burroughs. The film has been in development for decades, but it’s Disney, director Andrew Stanton and Taylor Kitsch in the lead role who have finally managed to bring the epic to the big screen. Unfortunately, all signs are pointing to a bomb of epic proportion. First of all, the budget is $250 million, which is insane for a sci-fi film based on a character that’s far from a household name, staring an actor that isn’t close to being a megastar (and I liked Kitsch as Gambit in Wolverine). Secondly, reviews have been far from kind to the film, so negative in fact that it could turn potential audiences off. I’m guessing John Carter is going to have to rely on overseas audiences to come close to making a profit. Look for a soft debut in second place with a $25.5 million gross.
