Emerald City Comicon updated their guest list with a big addition. Gabriel Hardman will join the Seattle event March 30th-April 1st. Hardman is currently working with Rick Remender (also coming to ECCC) on Secret Avengers. Hardman’s previous work includes Hulk, Agents of Atlas, and Betrayal of The Planet of the Apes.
His work as an accomplished motion picture illustrator includes Spider-Man 3, X2: X-Men United, Superman Returns, Tropic Thunder and Inception.
Emerald City Comicon revealed their stellar lineup of programming for this year’s big event including more than 120 panels! I seriously need to look into cloning.
Here’s my top 5 panel picks for each day of the con:
Friday, March 30th
ECCC Spotlight: Marc Silvestri An intimate hour devoted to Top Cow founder, Image founder, movie producer and top artist Marc Silvestri. The legend’s career spans three decades and he’s drawn Wolverine, X-Men, Cyberforce, Witchblade, The Darkness and Incredible Hulk.
Robert Kirkman Q & A The is the chance get into the creative mind behind The Walking Dead comic book, television series and soon to be videogame is sure to be a packed house. Kirkman’s other successful comics include Invincible and Super Dinosaur. Kirkman is true creative force and innovator blazing his own path.
Spotlight on Edward James Olmos Award-winning actor, director and activist Edward James Olmos reflects on his incredible career including Miami Vice, Blade Runner and the reimagining of Battlestar Galactica. Olmos is a true Hollywood original. He is appearing Friday.
Drawing Inspiration: The Art of the Whedonverse Buffy, The Vampire Slayer, Angel, Faith, Dollhouse and Serenity live on in comics by Portland’s Dark Horse Comics. This behind-the-panels look with the amazing artists is a must for Joss Whedon fans with creations from past, present and future, including exclusive first looks!
Marvel: Breaking Into Comics Marvel’s Talent Scout along with some of their top writers and artists are here to help make comic book dreams come true.
Saturday, March 31st
Talkin’ Dead with Jon Bernthal and Laurie Holden. Stars of the acclaimed television series talk their experience filming The Walking Dead and the future of their characters Shane and Andrea. Two of the show’s most polarizing characters played by fan favorite actors should mean a packed house of geeks hungry for answers to all the rumors about Shane and what the show will do next.
Marvel: Pint O’ C.B. The is THE panel for Marvel fans. Anything goes as Marvel’s C.B. Cebulski along with superstars Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, Dan Slott and Rick Remender take your questions and hopefully make some big surprise announcements about the future of the X-Men, Avengers, Spidey and more.
DC Comics: The New 52 It was controversial but commercial smash. Top editors and talent face the wrath and praise of fans while discussing last year’s game-changing revamp of DC Comics and what’s next from the home of Batman, Superman, Justice League and more iconic heroes.
A Candid Conversation with Katee Sackhoff The actress who rocked as Starbuck on the reimagined Battlestar Galatica reflects on her role at Lt. Kara Thrace and previews her new role opposite Vin Diesel. Sackhoff plays a bounty hunter tracking down Diesel in the next Riddick movie.
Crime Comics Eisner Award Winning writers Greg Rucka (Stumptown, Gotham Central, White Out)and Seattle’s Ed Brubaker (Criminal, Scene of the Crime, Fatale) talk with fans about their hot series and the amazing resurgence of the classic crime genre.
Sunday, April 1st
Marvel: The Next Big Thing Top talent including Greg Rucka, Rick Remender, Jeff Parker, Chris Yost and Dan Slott take on your questions about your favorite heroes,villains and maybe make some surprise announcements.
A Conversation with Summer Glau She’s played a Terminator and Joss Whedon’s innocent girl who could turn into a killing machine in a snap. This gorgeous actress reflects on her roles in Firefly, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Dollhouse, The Cape and new film, Knights of Badassdom.
Star Trek: State of the Franchise Is the new movie enough to satisfy fans? Bryan Fuller and Bryan Singer are reportedly interested in developing a new Star Trek series but what would a new television series be like? A Trek historian and experts debate the possible future of the beloved franchise.
Thunderdome! The Artist Duel Two artists. Every few minutes a new twist is delivered and each artist must incorporate it into their work. The final design is judged by a team of pros and a winner is declared. The art will be auctioned benefitting Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Star Wars Craft Time From Chewbacca sock puppets to Ewok flower vases, the woman behind the Star Wars Craft Book shows you how to use the Force to create unique gifts. I got to see this!
There are so many amazing panels including the best of webcomics, a Star Trek/Star Wars ballet and a Family Feud style geek game show. Seattle will become GEEK Utopia March 30th-April 1st.
When Chronicle hit the big screen buzz was building that director Josh Trank would take over a reboot of Fantastic Four for Fox. Now comes word that Sony is recruiting the director for a Spider-Man spinoff starring Venom according to the Los Angeles Times.
The story would focus on Spidey villain played Topher Grace in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3. The project has been spinning for 5 years. No word if this Venom will based on Eddie Brock, Mac Gargan or Flash Thompson versions.
Thanks to Dark Horizons.
Prometheus and Weyland Corporation promotion is taking over the world in a chilling way. The TED viral video starring Guy Pearce as Peter Weyland revealed the link between Alien and Prometheus took over the web.
Now there’s a website for the evil corporation from the films and this beautiful but frightening image.
On the page you can see this image and description under coming soon:
Weyland engineers have been working around the clock to bring you the newest, most advanced addition to the Weyland family. Stay tuned for a special announcement.”
This Geek’s Opinion: This will likely be the introduction of the artificial person that will be played by Michael Fassbender in Prometheus. Ian Holm played an android in Alien.
The picture above appears to be inside the ship of the “Space Jockey” from the first Alien film with an egg and a map showing multiple star systems. What do you think?
Ridley Scott is not just a brilliant director but expert marketer too.
Will the third time be the charm for the big screen version of Marvel’s Green Goliath in The Avengers? Director Joss Whedon talked with SFX magazine about what he need to get right to make the Hulk work.
“So much. A Bruce Banner who’s not obsessed with his own problems. A Hulk who not only feels flesh and blood, but is clearly an extension of Banner himself and not just a CGI thing that roars. A Hulk who feels dangerous, who might actually hurt someone we care about, who belongs in a classic horror film. And much more. He’s the hardest character by far, and ended up being the most fun.”
Whedon revealed what Mark Ruffalo brings to the team as the new Bruce Banner.
“Mark is such a delightful mensch it’s stupid. His Banner is a bunch of contradictions: graceful and awkward, meek and confident, erudite and working class, funny and sad. And contradictions are what the Banner/Hulk dynamic are all about. Also, Mark kinda looks like the Hulk. So we got to build our Hulk from him.”
The entire interview is in SFX #220 out today.
This Geek’s Opinion: Based on the awesome trailer I still wonder if Banner is on control of the Hulk since he’s working with the Avengers. I’m hoping we see Betty – at least in a cameo.
Christos Gage answered fan questions about the future of X-Men Legacy and Avengers Academy revealing how both teams will be impacted by Avengers Vs. X-Men. The mutant kids of Utopia will be held at Avengers Academy leading to an odd reunion for X-23 and her former teammates.
“There are indeed scenes between X-23, Surge and Dust, and they were fun — for me, not for the characters involved! This storyline definitely looks at X-23 and how she has developed as a person since her days with the New X-Men, as well as how she is continuing to develop. As for the Westchester kids coming to break them out, they’re going to have their own problems…”
The situations are different. I can only say so much to avoid spoilers, but in Avengers Academy, what has happened is that various X-kids from Utopia end up in the custody of the Avengers, and it’s decided the best thing to do with them to keep them out of the conflict is to house them at Avengers Academy. It’s not an internment camp per se (the cover of Avengers Academy #29 is more symbolic of how the X-kids feel), it’s more like Child Protective Services, where kids who have nowhere else to go are placed — presumably for their own good.
I’m not saying it’s right — there’s a lot of debate about that in the book itself — but it’s with good intentions. As for the situation in X-Men Legacy, events there are more reaction to the larger conflict — the Avengers send a team to keep an eye on the X-Men and make sure they don’t escalate matters by joining the Utopia crew, but they are more watching from outside, like cops at a Mafia wedding. Oh, and don’t assume it was Cap who made the decision in all these cases!”
For the entire interview here’s the Comic Book Resources link.
I’ve enjoyed Gage taking the reigns of X-Men Legacy especially the brewing passion between Gambit and Frenzy. I hope this book survives the reboot that’s surely coming after AVX.
Comic books have always been escapism while reflecting issues in our world. Archie Comics has pushed boundaries with groundbreaking stories about gay marriage with new character Kevin Keller. Now the publisher will present a story about breast cancer starring a character familiar to Riverdale fans.
Cheryl Blossom left the Archie gang for Hollywood. Cheryl will be diagnosed with breast cancer and come home to Riverdale.
“One of the things that comes out is that she feels she’s very fortunate that she can have all this treatment because she has medical insurance, the money, to be able to do it,” Editor in Chief Victor Gorelick tells the AP.
The story “opens the door that there are a lot of people who cannot afford this kind of treatment and we have to see where that’s kind of going to lead.”
For the entire story including other real world issues tackled by comics here’s the Associated Press story.
Before Chris Hemsworth swings his hammer as Thor this May he will running for his life in The Cabin in the Woods on April 13th. A second trailer debuted on Fear Net for the long-awaited film by Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard. The trailer is spoiler heavy but gets you excited for what looks like a hybrid of slasher in the woods/supernatural creatures/conspiracy horror flicks.