Dr Who and Star Wars Imperial March on Tesla Coils

Okay, I haven't a clue who ArcAttack is or what Chattacon 2009 is (Is it held in Chatanooga? Do people just Twitter back and forth whilst there foregoing speaking? Who knows...) but anyone who plays music to the accompanyment of Telsa Coils is okay in my geek book. Just to kick it up a few extra notches on the Geek/Nerd scale he chose the Star Wars Imperial March and the Dr Who Theme.

Ben Templesmith

Ben Templesmith is a ludicrously talented artist. Truly. Made his big splash doing the original story for 30 Days of Night with Steven Niles.


My favourite from him is the book he writes and draws, Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse.


He's at work presently with Leah Moore and John Reppion on Doctor Who: The Whispering Gallery one-shot,


and Groom Lake (due out late March) with Chris Ryall. Which Templesmith describes as: "Aliens. Mutating crotches. Probing. Smoking. Tourism. This is all you need to know."


Most importantly is the release next week of his new book The Presidents of the United States which includes bios on all 44 of them. Here's his Barack Obama entry:

Let your retailer/book store know PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES has a diamond order code (for comics) of: NOV084121 or that it's ISBN number is: 1600103448 *for your finer bookstores to order) Buy one for Democracy's sake!

A Who Christmas That Isn't Dr. Seuss

Found on IO9 something to brighten nerd holidays everywhere. I give you a Dalek Christmas tree. From someone with more time on their hands then me...

Interesting Bits V

Well, I'm back again...why do I hear Dwight Yokum in my head when I type this? I really dislike most country music. Que la stima.

Presently, I'm rereading Simon R Green's Nightside series again to review for Bitten by Books.com. They aren't up yet, but Something From the Nightside and Angels of Light and Darkness are done and waiting to be posted. Trying to rip through the other 6 before Jan. 6 ^th when his new one comes out, Just Another Judgement Day (The Nightside, Book 9). Love this series, it combines John Constantine with Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. I highly recommend checking them out if you never have. They're short books and the whole series paints an interesting larger picture.

Warner Brother's beginning its push for the Oscars. They took out an ad for what I consider the surest lock. Heath Ledger for Best Supporting Actor.

The others in the category are: Michael Shannon in Revolutionary Road, Philip Seymour Hoffman in Doubt, John Malkovich in Changeling, Ralph Fiennes in Duchess, John Malkovich and Brad Pitt in Burn After Reading and Robert Downey, Jr. in Tropic Thunder. I think their major disadvantage is that they're still breathing.

Will Smith and Stephen Spielburg after announcing last week that they plan to remake the brillant Korean film Oldboy say it will not be a remake of that, but of the graphic source manga by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya. Which...ummmm..if I'm not mistaken was the source material for Oldboy. Oh, and one more crucial difference is that their's will be called Old Boy. Wow. The differences are truly astounding....

Den of the Geek have updated their 84 Comic Books properties being made into movies with the addition of Deadpool. Apparently Ryan Reynolds is so bitichin in Wolverine: Origins as Wade Wilson, Merc of the week that they're already talking about a spinoff. Or would that be a spin-spinoff?

Also in really shitty film news, Lucas, Spielberg & Harrison Ford are talking about Indy V. Since people were stupid enough to go and see the heavy handed, too long & nonsensical Indy IV. Someone stop these people....please.

45 years of Doctor Who and BBC is releasing how the character was created and the rocky road it took to become the classic it is.

I just got news that I can start reviewing paranormal comics for BBB. Which pretty much opens up the entire Vertigo line from DC Comics. Woo Hoo!

That's it for now...Please go back to your regularly scheduled Feed Reader.

Interesting Bits of the Day II

This is my (hopefully) weekly post on things I found of interest while sifting through the minutia of the interwebs....


It appears that all wasn't sweetness and light between the McCain and Palin camps during their recent failed attempt at the nation's highest office. In today's LA Times article it appears what some news outlets are calling "Fashiongate," (gods the American media is witty, isn't it?) was one of the main sticking points. A RNC lawyer was told to go to Alaska and inventory the clothes still in her possession and then to retrieve them. These clothes, reportedly in excess of $150,000 shot Palin's image of a Good Ol' Girl Hockey Mom in the ass.
"Fox News reported Wednesday that Palin's lack of knowledge on some topics also strained relations. Carl Cameron reported that campaign sources told him Palin had resisted coaching before her faltering Katie Couric interviews; did not understand that Africa was a continent rather than a country; and could not name the three nations that are part of the North American Free Trade Agreement -- the United States, Canada and Mexico."
Not to mention she couldn't get the really tough question right. My personal favourite that she missed of 4 separate tries interspersed between several months, "What does a Vice President do, Gov Palin?"
If this lady (I use this term in it's loosest sense) makes herself the senior senator from Alaska lots of people are going to be most unhappy. Not to mention John McCain.


Also in election news, Jon Stewart had Fox News anchor Chris Wallace on The Daily Show last night. To say it was uncomfortable is putting it mildly. Uncomfortable, but funny as hell.



Now, on to the lighter side of the webs. Via Den of the Geek the writer of the article handicaps the "Who Will Replace David Tennant on Dr. Who?" The contenders run the gambit from front runners David Morrissey (5/2 odds) & (my favourite) Paterson Joseph to long shots Wanted's James McAvoy & Hugh Grant . The article goes on to mention the pros and cons of these 4 and 9 others. Although Tennant told BBC Breakfast on the 3^rd that he doesn't know what he's going to do: ‘I had a meeting with Steven (Moffat)and that was difficult because I love his writing,’ he went on to state that, ‘Now I know some of his ideas I was tempted to change my mind. Who knows what might happen in the future? The door isn't necessarily closed forever.’ So, this may all be academic.

Ready for Joss Whedon's new show Dollhouse? Fox announced today that it will be premiering Feb 13, 2009. It seems as though Fox already has it in for the show since it's putting it on it's lowest rated night as it did with Whedon's acclaimed show Firefly. The lead in will be Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles which wouldn't be terrible if this were last January, but Terminator's ratings have dropped off by a third this season. The trailer appeared today on Sci Fi.com's Sci-Fi Wire:


Via Topless Robot:
You Don't Know the Deliciousness of the Dark Side

Finally, it appears. Kevin Smith's Batman 3 part miniseries Batman: Cacophony seems to be finally becoming a reality, or at least the first 6 pages are. Check 'em out at MySpace.

In shows I can't stop watching news:

"A fan site for Alexz Johnson has confirmed the Canadian pop singer and actress will play Saturn Girl in an upcoming episode of Smallville, written by Geoff Johns. The episode, titled “Legion,” also features Cosmic Boy and Lightning Lad. The three come from a future where Clark is the greatest hero.“Legion” is scheduled to air on Nov. 27 on The CW.

Wrapping up, in comic book stores today, A Tribute to Michael Turner came out. An 80 page $8.99 comic with benefits going to The American Cancer Society and The Make-A-Wish Foundation. On June 27^th Mike Turner died of complications from chondrosarcoma a bone cancer that attacks cartilage. He was only 37 years old. Mike had already had a surgery to remove a tumor in March of 2000. It cost him 4 lbs. of bone from his right hip. Before this, besides being a comic book artist, Mike was a competion level water skiier and 3^rd level red sash martial arts instructor.

In 1995 Mike became co-creator on Top Cow Comic's Witchblade. A few months earlier in 1995 I had started managing a comic book store and selling original comic art. One of the owners, Phillip, arranged for comics legend Bernie Wrightson to come in and do a signing on Saturday. Now, Phillip was in Dallas because there was a teeny tiny convention up there that he was selling art at. He was driving back to Austin to pick up Bernie after the signing and take him up to Dallas to sit at our table and sign there for the Sunday part of the convention. This left me in charge of the signing. I had never met Bernie, nor organised a signing before, nor taken care of a "Legend's" ego. Shockingly, the signing came off without a hitch. To reward me Phillip decided to take me to Dallas with Bernie for my first convention.

We arrived at the hotel and got up at 6 AM for the show (okay Bernie got up at 11). I was underwhelmed to say the least when we got there. The convention "hall" was half the size of my high school basketball gym. Bernie was the only artist in sight and there were more dealers than fans there. We suffered through most of the day hardly making enough money to pay for our hotel rooms when Phillip tells me to take a break. I had brought along my sketch book from the previous day so that Bernie could finish the sketch he started for me. Since he had tons of time he had finished it hours earlier, and since the rumour was that there were other artist there I decided to rome around with it. While going out to have a cigarrette I happened upon this young guy by the door. He was at a folding table saying hi and smiling at people as they came in. I didn't think anyone knew he was an artist because A) he was so young (24 at the time) and B) he was wearing a name tag that said, "Hi. My name is: Mike," and C)he was so friendly. I only noticed because he seemed out of place and I saw the pens and sketchbook.

I went out to have the cigarrette first, but stopped by his table when I came back in. I asked him what he had worked on since he was only 3 years older than me, and he told me that he was the penciller on Witchblade...had I seen it? Seen it? Seen it??? I pimped that book so hard when it had come out we had to reorder it 3 times. I was completely blown away by the art in it. Was there any chance he was doing sketches?
He give me a huge smile and said, "yeah, I'm supposed to be, but you're the first guy to ask me in the 3 hours I've been here.
"I was gonna try and charge people $20 per sketch, but I'm so glad to be doing one that yours is free."
I told him that no, this was my first show, but I knew that this was how they made spare money. He wouldn't take it. We argued nicely for a few minutes before he said, "Let me do the sketch. If you like it, you can pay me."
He opens my book and since I had just bought it the week before, Bernie's sketch is the first one. "When did you meet Bernie Wrightson??"
"Yesterday when he did a signing at the store I manage. We drove up here together. He's at my table sketching and signing stuff."
Mike flipped. He was so excited. He asked if I would introduce him. It was so funny because he was so serious about it. I told him that it wasn't a problem and we went over.

After the show was over and Mike had finished my sketch (he never did take my $20) we all went to dinner. Just my boss Phillip, Bernie Wrightson, Mike Turner and me. No matter how bad the convention was I'll never forget it, and I'll never forget meeting Mike Turner. He was such a down to earth genuine person. Reading the remembrances from his friends, apparently that held true his entire life.

The Dr. Who Christmas Special

BBC One has finally released the the trailer shown at Comic-Con this year. It's a much better glimpse of the monster the Doctor faces — in both of their versions. It also shows more of the new companion, Rosita, and the episode's special guest star. The first two minutes of the episode will air as part of the BBC's "Children In Need" charity night in Nov.


Check out Planet Gallifrey for the lastest Dr news.

Interesting Bits of the Day

This will probably be what I do most often...list interesting (to me at least) stuff I found on the interwebs today.

I need to get me one of these...

This is the name of Seth Rogen's hockey team in Kevin Smith's new movie, Zack and Miri Make a Porno. However, if you dig Zombie movies you'll also know that most of George Romero's Dawn of the Dead was shot in the Monroeville Mall. Monroeville is a suburb of Pittsburg, PA. So, the Zombies shirt works on a myriad of different levels.

Not terribly sure how I feel about Joaquin Phoenix announcing that he's quitting movies. I know how I feel about him quitting movies to pursue music...that makes me laugh. J. Phoenix has always been hit or miss for me....too much of a twirling his mustache villain in Gladiator, but excellent in Walk the Line.

I am sure how I feel about David Tennant leaving Dr Who, and I reckon it kinda sucks. However, I am kinda excited that Paterson Joseph may be getting the nod to play the Dr. Ever since he played Marquis de Carabas in Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere I've really loved this guy...

It was reported today, by Paul Giamatti (Col. Tom Parker), that Ron Perlman and not Bruce Campbell will be play Elvis in the prequel to Bubba Ho-Tep...Bubba Nosferatu and the She Vampires. Since Perlman is in one of my three favourite new shows this season, Sons of Anarchy, I'm pretty jazzed about this.

BTW, the other two faves are Trueblood and Life on Mars. Trueblood is a retelling of sorts of Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire series. With Anna Paquin playing the lead character Sookie Stackhouse to a T. Plus, it hurts nothing that she's rather naked sometimes in the show, and that seems to make me terribly happy. Life on Mars is based off the 8 part BBC series of the same name. It follows Det. Sam Tyler, who starts the show in the present, getting hit by a car and waking up in 1973. Life on Mars dually refers to the David Bowie song of the same name which came out in 1973 and an adult of 2008 trying to deal with 1973. I actually like this version a bit better. That may be because of Harvey Keitel who plays, Lt. Gene Hunt on the American series. Although John Simm played Sam on the BBC version, and his portrayal of The Master on Dr Who was equally memorable.

*Bonus show I'm really digging the season and am too afraid to tell any of my contemporaries...hell to tell my 13 year old nephew...Gossip Girl. I can't defend it. It's Dangerous Liaisons with cell phones. Okay, maybe because it's mostly high school kids it's more Cruel Intentions...but I'm addicted to it.

In our current climate of elections I thought this pic needed a repost. With Elizabeth Dole talking about how her opponent in the North Carolina senatorial elections is taking money from "godless peoples." Please check out the brokers worshipping The Bull of Wall St.

reposted from Boing Boing.

To wrap up election news today, there was a little known debate which may have ramifications on all of us. Doom vs. Zod. With William Shatner and Corey Feldman asking the questions. Worth a click...kinda funny.