Dafixer's Hideout #167 - Media Talk II

Astro Boy, RED, Dexter, Boardwalk Empire, Avengers:Earth's Mightiest Heroes: Shorts, How I Met Your Mother, Castle, The Event, Hawaii Five-O, No Ordinary Family, Caprica, Stargate Universe, Raising Hope, Undercovers, The Defenders, Bones, Fringe, Smallville, Supernatural, Sons of Anarchy

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Dafixer's Hideout #167 - That's Not Supposed to be Funny

In many serious genre we get a moment of a personality that makes us laugh. Maybe it's the uncomfortable laugh during a horror movie, or the over the top character in a gangster film. On this episode we discuss those characters who brought the levity to otherwise serious stories. All this plus New York Comic Con overview, news and comic reviews. Enjoy.

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Cloak, Dagger and Banner

Hulk is in development as a TV show for ABC, according to Hollywood Reporter, and a showrunner is being sought. Hulk’s been off TV since the hit 1978-82 show on CBS. Cloak & Dagger is in development as a possible show for ABC family, according to the same report, with a search for a writer underway. Both channels are owned by Marvel parent Disney, and are part of a push to develop shows based on Marvel properties under new Marvel TV head Jeph Loeb.

The Price of DC

DC Comics Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan Didio announced that, starting in January, the nation’s oldest comic book publisher would be reducing the cover prices of all standard length 32-page comics currently priced at $3.99 to $2.99. Didio noted that the price reduction was the result of listening to retailers and fans: “we listened to our fans and to our partners in the retail community who told us that a $3.99 price point for 32 pages was too expensive. Fans were becoming increasingly reluctant to sample new titles and long term fans were beginning to abandon titles and characters that they’d collected for years.

Expanding the Whedonverse

In 2011 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine debuts in mid-2011 it will be joined by a monthly Angel comic along with spin-offs featuring Willow and Spike. Additionally we are going to be picking up Dollhouse where it left off on the television show, starting as a mini-series.

New City Comicon Report

Attendance at New York Comic Con, which wrapped up Sunday, topped 95,000, according to Reed Group Vice President Lance Fensterman, with the caveat that the number could go up once all sales by retailers were tallied. All areas of the show were extremely busy, including the main show floor, the show floor that included Artists Alley, the Anime Artists Alley, the panel rooms, and traffic areas. Press attendance topped 2900, according to Fensterman, up 60% from last year’s 1800.

It sold out of single admission tickets for Saturday, October 9th, though single-day tickets still remained for Friday and Sunday, and a limited number of 3-day passes for the entire weekend show were available.

Episode 166 - Media Talk II

The Good, The Bad and The Weird, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, The Town, Dexter, Boardwalk Empire, How I Met Your Mother, The Event, Hawaii 5-O, Castle, No Ordinary Family, Stargate Universe, Undercovers, Cougar Town, Fringe, Bones, Shit My Dad Says, Nikita, The Mentalist, Smallvile, Supernatural, & Sons of Anarky. Enjoy.

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Episode 166 - Breaking the Language Barrier

Since the dawn of the talkies movies and other pop culture has effected the language of the culture. On this episode we highlight some of the biggest changes to our language pop culture has brought to our llanguage. Enjoy.

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Herman, Lilly, Eddie and Grandpa Gets a Reboot

NBC has ordered a pilot for a Munsters reboot by Bryan Fuller, according to Entertainment Weekly. Fuller, who worked on Heroes, Pushing Daisies, and Star Trek Voyager, has great geek cred and can be expected to give the reboot a good chance of success. EW is also reporting that Guillermo del Toro may be involved.

A Short Time Ahead, In Useless 3D Closer Then You'd Wish

Lucasfilm has disclosed that the six Star Wars films will be released theatrically in 3D, beginning in 2012. After the release of the Phantom Menace early that year, subsequent films will be released either annually at around the same time - according to Hollywood Reporter - or at a pace to be determined by the pace of conversion - according to Variety.

The Hobbit Strike

Several actors’ guilds, including SAG and AFTRA, have issued an alert for their members urging them not to accept work on the “non-union” Peter Jackson production of The Hobbit, according to Hollywood Reporter. The two-film series, which has not yet been greenlit but appears to be moving forward, is preparing to film in New Zealand, where a local guild is trying to get a contract with the production.

Harris EIC at DC

DC Comics has announced that Robert Harras has been named the new Editor-in-Chief, VP, of DC Comics. Harras will be in charge of editorial content for DC Comics, DC Universe, Mad Magazine, and Vertigo, and report to co-publishers Dan Didio and Jim Lee. He will be based in New York City, along with the rest of DC’s editorial staff.

Episode 165 - Media Talk II

On this episode we review The Other Guys, Resident Evil: Regeneration, The Gates, How I Met Your Mother. Castle, Warehouse 13, Cougar Town, Bones, Nikita, Fringe, The Metalist, Smallville, Supernatural, Sons of Anarky, Boardwalk Empire, The Event, Hawaii 5-0, Undercovers, Avengers: Earth Mightiest Heroes, Shit My Dad Says and Chase. Enjoy

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Episode 165 - It Won't End Well

On this episode we talk about the endings we didn't like the most and how we would improve them. Enjoy.

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Backinsale's Back - Yeah Baby, YEAH!

Fanboys rejoice, Kate Beckinsale is back in those skin tight leathers. She has signed on for a fourth installment in the Underworld franchise. The as-yet-unnamed film is based on a script by John Hlavin, which is being re-written by Joseph Michael Straczynski. According to Deadline Hollywood, production Underworld 4 will start in Vancouver in March.

The Window's on Her Own. . .Maybe

At a press conference for the Iron Man 2 Blu-ray & DVD, which will be released next week, Marvel movie honcho Kevin Feige admitted that “we have already started discussions with Scarlett about the idea of a solo movie and have begun putting together concepts, but The Avengers comes first.” Scarlett Johansson, who played Natasha Romanoff aka the Black Widow in Iron Man 2, will reprise her role in The Avengers ensemble film, which Joss Whedon is preparing for a summer 2012 release. Then perhaps she will get a solo film.

Say Goodbye to Wildstorm

Citing “this soft marketplace,” DC Comics Co-Publishers Jim Lee and Dan Didio announced the end of the Wildstorm imprint in December. Wildstorm’s licensed comics, which include a number of video game-inspired titles such as Resident Evil, Clank, and Rachet will continue to be published (along with Wildstorm’s kids titles) under the DC imprint. DC will also stop publishing under the ZUDA banner. Titles that were scheduled to come out under the ZUDA imprint this year will appear as DC books.

300 2 in 3-D Too

Zack Snyder is planning to shoot his adaptation of Frank Miller’s Xerxes in 3-D. The movie will not be either a prequel or a sequel since it takes place at roughly the same time as the Battle of Thermopylae, which was the subject of 300. Snyder explained to the Latino Review that he is nearly half done with the script for Xerxes, which will focus on the exploits of Themistocles, the leader of democratic Athens. The action in Xerxes will focus on two key naval encounters, the Battle of Artemisium, which was fought concurrently with the Battle of Thermopylae. The Greeks suffered heavy losses and retreated, but regrouped and lured the Persian fleet into the cramped straits of Salamis and decisively defeated Xerxes' huge armada in the Battle of Salamis, which will provide the conclusion to the Xerxes movie.

Disney's Mightiest Animation

The new Marvel-based animated series, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes debuts on the Disney XD cable channel on October 20th at 8:30 pm (ET, PT) with two back-to-back episodes. The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes features Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, The Hulk, Ant-Man/Giant Man, and Wasp. Superherohype has detailed a marketing rollout of 20 micro-episodes introducing the team’s core members. The first of the micro-episodes debuts on Wednesday, September 22nd on Disney XD, DisneyXD.com/Avengers, Marvel.com, MarvelKids.com, and Disney XDMobile. Each five-and-one-half minute micro-episode details the backstory of one the Avengers including the character's allies and enemies from the era before the Avengers team was formed.

Date for a 3-D Rider

Columbia Pictures has announced that Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, the sequel to the 2007 Ghost Rider movie, will be shot in 3-D and will debut on February 17th, 2012. Nicholas Cage will reprise his role as Johnny Blaze in the sequel, which is being helmed by Crank directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, who also share the dubious distinction of having written the script for the Jonah Hex movie. Under Marvel’s “use it or lose it” policy Sony/Columbia was under considerable pressure to make a second Ghost Rider movie or lose the movie license to the property.

Animated All-Star

Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s highly acclaimed All Star Superman, which has won 3 Eisners, 2 Harveys, and 3 Eagle awards, will be adapted into a PG-13, direct-to-DVD animated movie by Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation, and Warner Home Video. In something of a departure from past films in the series of DC-based PG-13 features, the vocal cast will be headed by actors who have never worked in animation before. Christina Hendricks, from Mad Men, will voice Lois Lane, while James Denton from Desperate Housewives, will handle the vocal chores for the Man of Steel. The film will also mark the first time that Anthony LaPaglia has taken the role of Lex Luthor. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the All Star Superman animated film is due out in the spring of 2011.

Episode 164 - Why They are Badasses

Part Two - Last week we listed some of the baddest ladies in genre media. Today we ask ourselves why they are the baddest of the badasses. enjoy.

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Stan Lee Says, "YOU OLD MEN GET OFF MY VIDEOGAMES!!!"

In an open letter supporting the Video Games Voters Network, comic book grandmaster Stan Lee drew a parallel between censorship of comic books in the 1950s and new laws aimed at curbing videogame violence. Lee’s letter comes just weeks before the U.S. Supreme Court takes up the case of a California law, which would ban sales of violent video games to anyone under 18, levy fines against retailers for any infractions, and require a new violence rating code. The California law, which was signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, was declared unconstitutional by the 9th Circuit Court of appeal.s, but the 9th’s decision could be overturned by the Supreme Court. In his letter, which is printed in full on the VGVN site, Lee recalled the excesses of the anti-comic book movement in the 1950s: “My memory has always been lousy and it's not improving with age. But it's good enough to remember a time when the government was trying to do to comic books what some politicians now want to do with video games: censor them and prohibit their sales. It was a bad idea half a century ago and it's just as bad an idea now. Comic books, it was said, contributed to "juvenile delinquency."

Chrismas for Ma'at and Brien Letendre

This holiday season WizKids is releasing A Christmas Story: The Party Game, the family-friendly board game that challenges the players’ knowledge of the original, traditional, 100%, red-blooded, two-fisted, All-American Christmas movie, while they navigate a nostalgically designed game board chock full of classic movie scenes and quotes. The deluxe A Christmas Story: The Party Game comes complete with full color illustrated game cards (the “leg lamp” anyone?) and four fully painted miniature figures (the WizKids touch) of those loveable characters, Ralphie, Randy, Flick, and the Old Man.

30 Million Dollars of Dredd

IM Global has managed to grab $30 million in “pre-sale,” pre-production commitments from a number of foreign markets for its Dredd movie, which Pete Travis is set to begin shooting in South Africa in November (see “Olivia Thirlby Joins ‘Dredd’ Cast”). The $45 million production is based on the 2000 AD Judge Dredd comic, and key Judge Dredd creator John Wagner is heavily involved in the production of the film, which stars Karl Urban, and which is going for the gritty, yet satiric tone of the original comics. According to Variety, in just five days IM Global was able to gather its $30 million in commitments by selling the picture in a number of territories including Germany, Spain, Australia, Canada, Russia, Latin America, Benelux, and Scandinavia. A deal for the U.S. is expected soon, and a number of other major markets in Asia remain untapped.

No More Heroes

When NBC cancelled Heroes last May, there was talk of a made for TV movie that would tie up all the series’ loose ends. Now a source close to the show has told Entertainment Weekly that the peacock network is definitely not moving ahead with a movie that would provide fans with one last chance to see what happened to the characters they had been following for four seasons. Heroes, which was created by Tim Kring, began with very strong ratings, but never recovered from the interruptions created by the writers’ strike.

Episode 163 - Ladies Gotz the Badasses

Part One: On this episode we make a list of the most kick ass women in genre media. The ones who you can't tie up and make a hostage, the ones who could take you down before you find out where her eyes are, the one who make movies, TV and comics that much better for being who they are. Enjoy.

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Booth Babe Career

If you are a young, attractive woman then, yes, you can be a booth babe and make money doing it. VC Imagination Factory is advertising for a hot girl to dress up as their character Bellona from their graphic novel trilogy Bialien, offering $50-$70 a day. It's no surprise really. Comic Convention are huge money makers - which is why ever city, town and hamlet are scrambling to have one these days, but for the most part paid "product models" only appeared at Car Shows and other business conventions. Not that that Booth Babe hasn't existed at the comic convention, but now they are becoming a 'career move" and considering how comic convention are not losing steam any time soon they might be the temp employment of the future. Go figure.

Early Caprica

The Syfy Channel is planning to start airing the second half of the initial season of the Battlestar Galactica spin-off Caprica in October rather than in January as originally planned. The first new Caprica episode will air on October 5th right after a new episode of Stargate Universe. According to Deadline Hollywood, SyFy has still not placed an order for a second season of Caprica, which stars Eric Stoltz, Paula Malcomson, Esai Morales, and Polly Walker. Caprica has developed a loyal following, but has had only modest success in the ratings.

The King's 3 + TV

Universal and NBC have unveiled ambitious plans to adapt Stephen King’s seven-novel series The Dark Tower into a trilogy of movies that will be bridged by two TV series. Ron Howard is set to direct the first film from a script by Akiva Goldsman. Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment are behind the project, which certainly gives it some weight. According to Variety, the first movie will be followed by a Dark Tower TV series that will air on NBC and function as a bridge to the second film. After the second film premieres, a second installment of the TV series will lead-in to the third and final movie in the series. This sort of interactivity between the big screen and the small screen is rare although Fox did use The X-Files Movie in the late 1990s to bridge two seasons of the TV series.

Taken - On a Battleship

Liam Neeson has joined the cast of Peter Berg’s Battleship that also includes Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Brooklyn Decker, and Rihanna. According to Variety, Neeson plays Admiral Shane while Decker is his daughter and Kitsch will take on the role of his future son-in-law. Neeson played Hannibal Smith in this summer's failed A-Team movie, but also starred in Taken, the surprise action movie hit of 2009. Powerful alien forces provide the adversaries in Battleship, which is based on the Hasbro game.