Forces of Geek: we like pop culture: 8/1/11

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

WATCH THIS! Marvel Studios' THE CONSULTANT!

With his first appearance in Iron Man, Clark Gregg has resonated with Marvel movie fans everywhere with his portrayal of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson.

Included on the upcoming Thor Blu-ray is the short film, The Consultant which stars Gregg and streamlines and provides some context to some of the previously revealed moments of the Marvel movie mythology.

Check it out after the jump!

In stores this week from Image Comics, writer Sam Sarkar with art by Garrie Gastonny & Sakti Yuwono with a cover by Gastonny & Bagus Hutomo!

A small team of treasure hunters struggles to excavate a dangerous and legendary treasure pit before a massive storm hits Sable Island, the Graveyard of the North Atlantic.. Equipped with all the latest technology, the scientists believe they are prepared against all of nature's fury, but nothing can prepare them for what they are about to unleash from the Vault.

While a nineties nostalgia show may have me feeling old, it also seems to be what ABC wants.

THR reports that ABC is creating a series about a "super cool" nineties girl band written by Seinfeld's Jennifer Crittenden and Scrubs' Gabrielle Allan. In the vein of Spinal Tap, the show hopes to focus on comedy over music.

The Bangles and The Go-Go's are listed as inspiration.

In stores this week from Image Comics and John Mahoney & Flip Sablick with art and cover by Thomas Nachlick!

'REGICIDE,' Part Four The finale of the hard-hitting supernatural noir series from Minotaur Press is here. Alec King, the suicidal immortal, has been beat down, stabbed, and shot so many times he's beginning to lose count. But finally, the man responsible for his best friend's death is in his sights. The question remains - will Alec be able to make the hard decision for the first time in his miserable life?

This post is for Logan Brown, the son of one of my oldest friends Josh, who spent every waking hour of my visit to Oregon telling me to "Blow it out my ass" or "I'll rip your head off and shit down your neck" anytime I asked for a pop.

Thank you Logan for reminding me how special the teenage years are.

This song is for you.

See you in hell.

Video after the break.

In stores this week from Image Comics, writer Jim Zubkavich and artists Misty Coats & Edwin Huang!

'FIVE FUNERALS AND A BUCKET OF BLOOD,' Part Four This issue has it all: A cover, printed pages, comic panels in sequential order and staples! You heard that right - staples! Okay, now that we're past that stuff - Does anyone read this info? Do you? Let us know at www.skullkickers.com. PS: We now have more issues than Battle Chasers.

In stores this week from Image Comics, writer Robert Kirkman and artist Greg Capullo!

In a moment of desperation, Haunt turns to the one who told him what he was. Andressa knows much about the supernatural, she knows about the existence of Haunt and about The Apparition, but more importantly... she's knows how to kill it.

The 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking will happen in April 2012. To mark the occasion, two different shows are being created.

The four hour mini-series Titanic will be written by Downtown Abbey creator Julian Fellows and will star Linus Roache of Law & Order, among many others. Production for that project is already underway, and more casting is being wrapped up for the competing 12-part series Blood and Steel, which has a long list of names joining the cast.

In stores this week from Image Comics, writer Robert Kirkman with art and cover by Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rayburn!

The threat level rises.

While the second season of Luther hasn't yet aired in America, BBC One is ordering up a third season of the hit show.

Shadow and Act has reported that BBC One controller Danny Cohen announced at the Edinburgh TV Festival that a third season of the critically acclaimed psychological crime drama would be coming soon.

In stores this week from Image Comics, writer Robert Kirkman, artist Ryan Ottley and colored by Fco Plasencia!

Face-to-face with Universa. She came from a distant planet, wielding unimaginable power, seeking to drain our planet dry of all energy. Invincible was able to stop her. But how long can she be contained... and what can be done with her?

Deadline is reporting that Olivia Munn (Iron Man 2, Perfect Couples) has been hired for a role in Steven Soderbergh's hunk heavy Magic Mike.

Magic Mike follows the story of Mike (Channing Tatum), a stripper and dancer who takes The Kid (Alex Pettyfer) under his wing and shows him how to hustle both on and off the stage.

The film draws from Tatum's own experiences working as a teen stripper in Tampa, FL when he was 18 years old.

Tatum, Nick Winchester, and Gregory Jacobs are producing and Tatum's 33andOut Productions partner Reid Carolin is writing the script.

Here we are: post hurricane and pre-Labor day.

This summer went by quickly, but now's a good opportunity to check out lots of good stuff, reviewed after the jump, before the tv season launches or over the upcoming long weekend.

Earlier this year Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Day the Earth Stood Still) was hired by Relativity Media to direct their Biblical epic, David and Goliath.

According to Twitch, Relativity is in talks with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Faster, The Rundown) to fill the role of Goliath.

The unconfirmed word is the studio have offered the role of David to Taylor Lautner (Twilight), which wouldn't be so surprising since Twilight producers Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey are involved with the project.

Clark’s little trip to Metropolis finds him saving some lives and then being blackmailed by a dirty cop as a result.

See?

This is why I refuse to help anyone.

By Chris J. Thmpson

I think there's been a lot of confusion over what Batman Live is ...

Firstly, it's not a theatre production or a musical. The Joker doesn't sing and Two-Face doesn't tap dance - no matter how much you wish they would. Secondly, it's not a pantomime. There may be the odd moment where you want to scream 'He's behind you', but it's really not that sort of show.

So what is it then?

What happens when two programs decide to have a chat with one another?

Well, lets just say that it feels like the conversations that occur during family get-togethers (you know the ones, where a dickish uncle mentions that you are getting too old to wear v-neck t-shirts with Han Solo on them).

I guess this is just the beginning of computers realizing that it might be a good idea to destroy human life...because they huge assholes and have to have the last word.

Stupid Chatbots.

Video after the break.

Although it is set to be the final season of Chuck, Danny Pudi is going to have some sort of cameo role in the show.

AOLTV has reported that Pudi, of Community fame, will have a cameo role in the fifth episode of the new season. While the details of his role are still secret, not even a guess could be made at this point about who he will play. One role that is not a secret anymore is that of Mark Hamill, who gave away what he plays in an interview with AOLTV. Keep reading for some minor spoilers.

By day Ken Andre works as a lowly security guard but by night he becomes "Shadow", a ninja who patrols the small town of Yeovil, stopping evil wherever it may dwell.

hahahhahahahahaha!!!!!

(wipes eyes) ahhh...so funny.

And there's a news report from the BBC after the break.

God, I love people.

Now this is the kind of fashion I can get behind

What's great about the following video is that I can now feel all fashionista-like and pretend to understand all the fuss about clothes.

Personally, I couldn't care less about fashion outside of my t-shirts and Chuck Taylor collection, but it's nice to know that I can claim to be inspired by the late 70s East London punk style and sound like I know what I am talking about (Yea for me!).

My fashion retardation aside, the video/commercial is great and I'd rather watch this than an episode of The Jersey Shore.

Video after the break.

This is how the world ends...not with a bang, but an auto-tuned whimper

Upon viewing the Kim Kardashian video teaser for her "song" Jam (Turn it Up)-which is not about canning preserves as I was led to believe-my lamp fell off my side table and shattered into a million pieces.

Now, if decorative light fixtures are committing suicide over this auto-tuned gem of pure undiluted crap, then the End of Days are near people so we should probably start stockpiling the canned goods and fortifying our homes.

Of course, if you happen to enjoy a song that repeatedly says "Turn it Up" "Turn it Up" then by all means sit through the 55 second teaser that includes more Kim porn than should be humanly possible to cram into a music video.

I for one will be in my basement, surrounded by jars of Nutella, awaiting the Rapture.

Video after the break.

Back in the 70s and 80s it seems it was a whole lot easier to get involved with movie stars romantically as they were more open to letting the average man or woman see them naked.

I guess knowing that there were no camera phones with internet access helped, as well as lots and lots of available drugs to make these "normal" people seem attractive.

But what really made these stars (like Mark Hamill) accessible to people like you or I was the helpful dating tips that magazines like Tiger Beat and BOP put out so that upon meeting one of these television or celluloid Gods, we were prepared to go in knowing that "...we should not expect Mark Hamill to take you to wild parties-it isn't his thing".

See, you're already ahead of all the coked-out whores who ARE expecting him to take them to wild parties...he's gonna absolutely love you.

After the break is an entire Do and Don't list on seducing and making sweet love to Mark Hamill circa 1977 (which is something any self-respecting Luke Skywalker fan should know).

Good luck and May the Force (of love) be With You.

Joining shows like Spartacus, Da Vinci's Demons may be the latest project for the Starz network.

Deadline is reporting that David S. Goyer, the writer of Man of Steel, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and Blade has written Da Vinci's Demons for the pay cable channel and it's likely to be picked up soon.

Since Disney has halted production on The Lone Ranger because of the huge budget, Johhny Depp is wasting no time in moving forward on a passion project of his, a remake of The Thin Man, according to Deadline.

David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, War of the Worlds) has been hired to write the script. Koepp will be going back to the original source material which was the novel by Dashiell Hammett of the same name. The novel ended up spawning six films that starred William Powell and Myrna Loy.

Depp had set up project last year at Warner Bros. as a vehicle to re-team with Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides director Rob Marshall. Depp will produce the film along with Christi Dembrowski, Kevin McCormick, Rob Marshall, and John DeLuca.

HBO now has Mike Tyson, Spike Lee, and Doug Ellin making a boxing drama.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the network has ordered a pilot for a new boxing drama called Da Brick. The project is loosely based around Mike Tyson's early boxing career.

In stores this week from Image Comics and writer Joe Casey and artist Mike Huddleston!

Think we've pushed the envelope in this series so far? Well, this issue goes all the way! Learn the hidden secret of Jihad Jones! Discover Butcher Baker's happy place! And Arnie B. Willard is still in hot pursuit! Do you need to read this comicbook? Absolutely!

A great sketch followed by a great movie, The Blue Brothers are getting ready to return to television.

THR is reporting that the 1970s comedy musical duo, originally played by Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, are coming back to TV.

The show is being developed by Belushi's widow, Judy as one of the writers for the new series

In stores this week from Image Comics and Erik Larsen!

It's Malcolm Dragon vs. Mr. Glum - and Angel vs. Angel as the gates to Dimension-X are thrown wide open and all hell descends on Earth!

Stephen King and Steven Spielberg are teaming up to adapt King's book Under the Dome for Showtime.

Deadline reports that the network is joining with the two in order to make the 2009 novel into a TV drama. But there is still no writer for the show, just a lot of executive producers.

The History Channel is really going all out with their Hatfields and McCoys, adding a slew of names to the show.

While Bill Paxton and Kevin Costner are the leads of the show, Hitfix is reporting that joining them now is Tom Berenger from Inception, Powers Boothe from Deadwood, and Mare Winningham from the recent HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce.

AN AMAZINGLY SWEET SHORT FILM ABOUT HURRICANE IRENE IN NYC

I missed the hurricane due to the fact that I happened to be vacationing on the West coast, but I stayed in close contact with my hubby who weathered through it like a champ (by staying in the basement huddled in the fetal position) and am happy to say that my house maintained its house-like shape and appears to have no damage.

But part of me wishes I was there to witness the storm like the following filmmakers, who managed to capture the amazing beauty of Mother Nature in a city that rarely stops for anything.

It's really a remarakable look at NYC when things are quiet.

Video after the break.

When I get up in the morning (after a long night of watching Adult Friend Finder videos) I like to drink a hot mug of thick, black coffee and then pop-n-lock to some dance grooves.

And dammit, it would be quite awesome to do The Robot to some serious high BPM's of Legend of Zelda tunes!

While a fire kept the beat.

Yeah, that would seriously wake me up in the morning.

Well, that and putting out the flames that are now eating my kitchen.

Video of said music after the break.

Ron Moore, is headed to Hangtown.

The Battlestar Galactica developer/executive producer and Caprica writer Matt Roberts have sold the Western pitch to ABC with Sony attached to produce the series.

Come November 17 you fans of the bumpy heads will now be able to honorably own Park Place by doing battle with your fellow Klingons as you pass GO.

But keep in mind that this a LIMITED offer since only 1,701 of these bi-lingual (I'm guessing Klingon is one of them) games are being made.

Each board is numbered and a mini-replica of the Chancellor's Cane is included.

Are you sporting a wicked kar'takin yet?

Anywho, after the break is a link where you can pre-order the game (you only have a couple of days left) as well as a soft-core porn video of a guy sculpting a Klingon Bird-of-Prey token.

You can thank me later.

The popular Swedish novels, staring Evert Backstrom are set to be turned into a Fox show.

Deadline reports that after a long bidding war, Fox has won the rights to the books and has made a put pilot commitment. The show, based on a series of books by Swedish criminologist and novelist Leif G.W. Persson will be produced by Stephen Gaghan, writer of Traffic and Syriana.

You know something? I'm getting to the point where short films made by D&D fans are starting to become my favorite film genre.

I don't know what's going on in the world of table-top game play that is embedding role players with +1 creativity skills, but there is some crazy good film-making going on right now.

And the following gem (Role Initiative) is not only funny and well-done, it was also part of the Windy City Shootout 72-hour film competition which means that it took less time for these guys to make a movie than it does for me to digest and pass a Totino's cheese pizza.

Kudos to you!

Flick after the break.

George Clooney no longer wants to star in The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

While the news is unconfirmed, Deadline is saying that Clooney is in the process of withdrawing from the Steven Soderbergh remake.

You know what's amazing to me?

No, it's not the fact that I haven't been fired from this website yet (although, to be fair, those interns were asking for it what with their tight Star Wars t-shirts and hipster stubble), it's the fact that Gary Busey still manages to find a job that pays him in something other than Lithium.

AND, that the directors of these productions pretty much just hand him blank pages of a script at this point covered in pictographs to show him where he's supposed be in a scene and let him go wild.

Because there's absolutely no way that a screen writer wrote the following:

McBain (Busey's character) is in the rafters looking like a Meth addict yelling "I'm your worst nightmare Butt-horn" to Danny Trejo.

There's just no way.

Unless of course Gary Busey wrote the script, then I stand corrected.

Video of Gary Busey screaming out my favorite new insult after the break.

In stores this week from Oni Press and writer Cullen Bunn and artist Tyler Crook!

Drake has faced strange enemies, but none more enigmatic than Asher Cobb! What’s the secret of his powers? How did he become the living dead? And what did he pass on to Drake at the end of last issue? Cullen Bunn and special guest artist Tyler Crook (B.P.R.D., Petrograd) answer these questions and more!

TNT is getting what could be a very popular show from Jerry Bruckheimer.

THR reports that TNT has picked up Bishop to Pawn written by Greg Plageman, the writer of Person of Interest.

In stores this week from BOOM! Studios and writer Gary Phillips and artist Marc Laming with covers by Francesco Mattina and Paul Azaceta.

SPECIAL $1 DEBUT ISSUE! Acclaimed crime novelist Gary Phillips (THE JOOK, VERTIGO’S ANGELTOWN and COWBOYS) returns to BOOM! with a new brand of crime! High finance and low-down greed rear their ugly heads as Jeff Sinclair, the premiere laundryman in San Francisco—and we’re not talkin’ wrinkled jeans and dirty gym socks—is unwillingly pulled into a dangerous gig laundering $25 million in stolen casino skim money. Forced to truly consider his line of work and the evil that he facilitates, Jeff must find a way to clean the cash and wash away his own sins. A grounded, gritty look at the world of money laundering in the vein of Elmore Leonard, THE RINSE is a modern crime classic in the making! For fans of Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’s CRIMINAL!

I first discovered the fantastic Ming Doyle's work a few years ago while visiting the superhero fashion site, Project: Rooftop, which regularly features artists reimagining or redesigning the costumes of iconic characters.

Ming's work stood out and I instantly became a fan.

I met Ming a few years ago and she is truly as nice as she is talented. This month, her first major work, Tantalize: Kieren's Story a spin-off of a popular young adult series by Cynthia Leitich Smith has been released and Ms. Doyle's star is quickly rising, with upcoming work on both the sequel, a short story in Fantastic Four #600, her first story which she both wrote and illustrated and her continuing web-comic with writer Kevin Church, The Loneliest Astronauts.

Ming took time away from her drawing table to discuss her first major work, breaking into the industry and what's next.

In stores this week from BOOM! Studios and writers Mark Waid and Tom Peyer and artist Chard Hardin with a cover by Dimitri Armand.

With the mysterious Inheritors blazing a destructive path through Earth, it’s up to the Traveler and Soldier Zero to set aside their differences and stop the cataclysmic carnage before it’s too late! The crossover of the year continues as critically acclaimed writer Mark Waid and Tom Peyer bring you more of Stan Lee’s latest superhero creations!

The killer show Dexter is going to have Jordana Spiro join the cast for a multi-show arc.

The actress most recently seen in the show Harry's Law, and before that My Boys, will join the show for a storyline that will last a few episodes.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Spiro will play a follower of the characters that will be played by Colin Hanks and Edward James Olmos.

In stores this week from BOOM! Studios and writer Daryl Gregory and artist Carlos Magno.

SPECIALLY PRICED AT $9.99. On August 31st you’ll get to experience the RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES film, and BOOM! Studios wants you to get caught up on the critically acclaimed PLANET OF THE APES comic series that is taking comic fandom by storm! Pick up this trade for only $9.99 to read the first complete arc, and get issue #5 for only $1. Have you always wondered what happened before the original first five films? This is the trade to read and BOOM! Studios’ PLANET OF THE APES comic series is monthly must reading! Don’t miss out on what all your friends know already – that this is the one comic not to be missed. Now there is no excuse not to…get your hands on these damn dirty Apes!

At this point it's only speculation, but Chris Hardwick may have a Watch What Happens type show on the cable network AMC.

According to Vulture, AMC hired Watch What Happens executive producer Michael Davies to shoot a pilot similar to the talk show discussion like show from Bravo. Vulture's sources say that Nerdist blogger and host of Web Soup hosted the pilot.

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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

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