Month: March 2014

Mike Mignola & Hellboy: 20 Years and Going Strong!

Posted on by

Recognize the character above?

That’s the first drawing Mike Mignola ever did of his wildly popular Hellboy character.  It’s pretty nuts to see how that initial drawing morphed into the beloved Hellboy character that went on to serve as the cornerstone of a comic universe, and has been adapted into live-action and animated movies.

What is even crazier is to realize that Hellboy (as we came to know him) has been around for 20 years!  CBR.com recently talked with Mike Mignolia about his and Hellboy’s journey from initial sketch to comic icon.

Everyone Knows “The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral”

Posted on by

Everyone knows the story of The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Well, let me rephrase that.  Everybody thinks they know the story of The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

You’d be surprised at how many people think the gunfight really took place at the O.K. Corral.  [As an interesting side note, had the Cowboys stayed at the O.K. Corral, they wouldn’t have broken any city laws by wearing their guns, which of course was the “reason” for the confrontation between the Earps, Doc Holiday and the Cowboys.]

If you’d like to read a short, detailed and well written account of The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, by Eddie Deezen, you can, thanks to Neatorama.

“Sabotage” / Z-View

Posted on by

The Pitch: ”Hey, let’s remake Agatha Christie’s ‘Ten Little Indians’ as a gritty thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.”

“Are you kidding?  No one will come to see that.”

“They will if we cut the trailers to make it look like an action movie!”

“Let’s do it!”

The Tagline:  “Leave No Loose Ends”

The Overview:  Forget what you saw in the trailers… or at least what you think you saw.

The trailers made Sabotage appear as a movie about an elite team of DEA agents led by Arnold Schwarzenegger who take down a cartel kingpin.  In retaliation for the bust, the team is set up to look as if they stole $10 million of drug money and Arnold’s wife and son are kidnapped by the cartel.  Following the set-up of the trailer, we wonder if someone on the team stole the money and will the team go to Mexico and save Arnold’s wife and son.

Well… that’s not exactly what the movie is about.

*** Beware –  spoilers are found below ***

Arnold is the leader of an elite team of DEA agents, but we learn very quickly that his wife and son were kidnapped, tortured and killed by Mexican drug dealers months ago.  We then see Arnold lead his team into a major drug raid that is exciting and violent.  Before the rest of the DEA force is brought in, Arnold’s team steals and hides ten million dollars.

Things go sideways when Arnold’s team goes back to retrieve the money and it’s gone.  To make matters worse the DEA realizes ten million dollars is missing and Arnold’s crew is suspect.  In addition to dealing with everyone suspecting them of stealing the cash, Arnold’s team has to wonder if the cartel is on to them or if one of the team members took the loot.  The stakes are raised when one by one the team begins to turn up brutally murdered.

The Good

  • David [Training Day, Street Kings] Ayer creates gritty cop thrillers and Sabotage is no exception.
  • The supporting cast which includes Sam Worthington, Joe Manganiello, Josh Holloway, Terrence Howard, Max Martini, Mireille Enos and Olivia Williams are excellent.
  • Sabotage gives us something different than expected.  I like that the trailer teased our expectations.
  • The movie feels real.  It is full of violence, profane language, and takes us into a world where brutality and death are ways of life.  This isn’t an action movie where dozens of people get killed and the hero quips one-liners.
  • I liked the ending.

The Bad:

  • Some people are going to be put off by the violence and profanity.  From what I had heard I went in expecting it to be much worse than it was. [Not that I wanted more.]
  • What happens when you cross drug dealers.
  • What happens when you can no longer trust your team.

The Ugly:

  • Parking on a train track.
  • Hanging out on the ceiling.
  • Not being able to see where you’re driving when you’re making an escape.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Schwarzenegger “Sabotaged” By Excessive Violence?

Posted on by

Sabotage starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by David Ayer opens today.  By all accounts Sabotage is very, very violent.  While I don’t mind a “R” rated film, some reviews indicate that Sabotage goes too far.  I plan to see Sabotage today and judge for myself, but too much violence will keep away viewers and is really unnecessary.

IMPAwards has several Sabotage character posters on display… and not a single one is overly violent.

Celebrity Encounters at MegaCon 2014

Posted on by

This Friday and Saturday I spent time at MegaCon with my buddy John Beatty.  While I was at the show hanging with Big John, my wife, Doralya was relaxing at the hotel.

On Friday afternoon Doralya sent me a text that Steven Yeun (who plays Glen on The Walking Dead) was staying in our hotel and she saw him getting into a limo.  I could tell from her text and the number of exclamation points that she was excited to see a celebrity up-close.

At dinner that night Doralya told me of an encounter that she had with Bryan Johnson, one of the stars of Comic Book Men.  Doralya was sitting outside reading when Bryan Johnson walked by.

They made eye-contact and Doralya said, “I know you! I watch you on tv every week!”  Bryan smiled and replied, “You do?”  He was probably surprised since my wife doesn’t look like someone who would watch Comic Book Men.

A few minutes later Bryan walked back through the area and made a point to say, “Good-bye” to Doralya.

I teased Doralya a bit that the only thing she could think to say was, “I know you” to a complete stranger.  We laughed and headed back to the hotel.

Doralya was standing in front of me as the elevator doors opened and I heard her say in a surprised voice, “Well, hello!”  I heard a voice say, “Hello.”  It was Ming Chen of Comic Book Men.  As he left the elevator we made eye contact…

… and the only thing I could think to say was, “Well, hello.”  Ming replied, “Hello” as he continued to wherever he was going.

As we got on the elevator I expected Doralya to return the teasing I gave her.  At least her comment to a celebrity was original.  All I could think to say was to repeat what Doralya had said.  She didn’t tease me though.  I guess she understood that I wasn’t as used to celebrity encounters as she was.

MegaCon or Bust!

Posted on by

This Friday and Saturday I’ll be in Orlando.  My buddy, John Beatty will be there Friday through Sunday. We’ll be hanging out with several thousand other like-minded folks.  Yep, it’s time for MegaCon. 

John is going as a guest  of the show.  That means while John is sketching for fans, I’ll either be hanging at his table keeping the fun at it’s maximum level or I’ll be visiting with other artists/friends looking to get a sketch or two for my Stallone Sketch theme collection.

If you’ve never been to MegaCon, you’re missing out.  There’s something for everyone.  There are celebrity guests, comic book creators, dozens of artists sketching for fans, panels, gaming, and more.

If you’re in driving distance of the show, come on down.  If not, there’s always next year.  Hope to see you there!

Puddles the Sad Clown: Let Me Live That Fantasy

Posted on by

Last week I posted about Puddles the Sad Clown with the Golden Voice.  Since then I have watched all the Puddles’ song videos I could find.  I’ve also shared them with family and friends.

This morning a friend sent me a link to an excellent profile of Puddles that appeared at Grantland.   The article is Let Me Live That Fantasy, by Justin Heckert [illustration by Tim McAuliffe] and while it answers a lot of questions about Puddles, it definitely leaves me wanting to know more.

7 Really-Creepy Unsolved Murder Mysteries

Posted on by

If you get queasy reading about grisly murders you’ll want to skip this blog post about 7 Unsolved Murder Mysteries to Keep You Up at Night.  They include…

1. Hinterkaifeck… six residents of Hinterkaifeck, a small farmstead in Germany, were murdered with a mattock (a tool similar to a pickaxe)…And days before the murder, Andreas told neighbors he’d discovered a strange set of footprints in the snow leading from the forest to the home, but not back. He’d also heard footsteps in the attic, and a set of keys went missing.

2. Villisca Axe Murders… A string of axe murders across the country prior to and following the Villisca murders closely resembled each other (mirrors in the house were covered; gloves were worn by the killer; a basin in which the murderer washed himself off found in the kitchen), but were never officially connected…

 

3. The Axeman of New Orleans… an axe murderer killed eight people in New Orleans and surrounding communities, with more victims suspected… The Axeman published a chilling letter in the newspaper which, in part, read: “I am not a human being, but a spirit and a demon from the hottest hell. I am what you Orleanians and your foolish police call the Axeman. When I see fit, I shall come and claim other victims. I alone know whom they shall be. I shall leave no clue except my bloody axe, besmeared with blood and brains of he whom I have sent below to keep me company.” …

4. The Moonlight Murders… unknown serial killer called the “Phantom Killer” shot 10 people (five of whom died) in and around Texarkana…

5. Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run… The official victim count is 12, but investigators believe the true number is likely higher. The Mad Butcher was so named for beheading and dismembering his victims…

6. Jack the Ripper… Several letters purporting to be from Jack himself were publicized around the time of the murders, including the one that appointed the name “Jack the Ripper,” though this one was later said to be a hoax. Another letter, known as the “From Hell letter,” in which the author claimed to have fried and eaten half of a victim’s kidney, was thought to be authentic. Delivered with the letter was a small piece of human kidney in a box…

7. The Zodiac Killer… Among the correspondence sent by the Zodiac killer to newspapers were four cryptograms, only one of which has been definitively decoded. It reads, in part: “I LIKE KILLING PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH FUN IT IS MORE FUN THAN KILLING WILD GAME IN THE FORREST MAN IS THE MOST DANGEROU[S] ANAMAL OF ALL” (sic)…

Read the full article for all the facts… if you dare!