I gotta say It was nice to see Warner Brothers Animation finally after all these years step outside the box and do something different for a change. Superman and Doomsday wasn't that good and the Justin league movie they made was just awful! The animation was ok but the story was all over the place and ridiculous. I was just sick and tired of seeing Bruce Timm's early 90's animation style carry on into the 21st century, sure its gone though different variations but its still the same. I understand his style is his animation signature but lets see something different for cryin out loud! Lets explore some new territory! Batman: Gotham Knight is definitely new territory. I was surprised Bruce Timm was an executive producer on it. Looks like he finally put on a new pair of pants. Batman: Gotham Knight is six short animated films. Each film has a different story and animation style to it, each style was done by some of Japans most talented visionaries. The following is a list of each short film who worked on it and what its about:

In "Have I Got a Story for You," Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Josh Olson ("A History of Violence") tells the story of how chance encounters with Batman by a group of youngsters leave each kid with a very different impression of the Dark Knight.

This one was cool because I liked how each kid in the story had a different take on Batman, how he looked and fought crime. They saw him more as a creature instead of a man in a bat costume.

In "Crossfire," acclaimed novelist/comics writer Greg Rucka tells the story of Gotham City police having to get over their distrust of Batman - while under fire from the mob.

This is the chapter that 5 minutes of was released online. This film showed that Gotham had barricaded part of Gotham City where they kept all the crazy criminals, and two cops ended up in the middle of a mob deal gone bad. The action in this one was pretty cool.

In "Field Test," writer Jordan Goldberg showcases the incredible high-tech arsenal Batman commands and reveals that there are some things even Batman won't do in his pursuit of justice.

I liked the concept for this one and how Lucius Fox created a force field for the Batsuit that deflected bullets.

"In Darkness Dwells" takes Batman into the Gotham sewers to face "Killer Croc," a deformed thug who seems even more monstrous after the Scarecrow, and his fear toxin, makes a resurgence, in a story by David S. Goyer, co-screenwriter of "Batman Begins."

This chapter was pretty cool. You got to see this crazy Killer Croc design that looked great, different from anything I had seen on him before. The action was very cool. There is a point where Batman gets bit on the shoulder by Killer Croc real bad. So bad in fact that his shoulder was squirting out blood through the rest of the chapter! This also had some great action shots in it.

Award-winning comics writer Brian Azzarello explores an early chapter of Bruce Wayne's training in "Working Through Pain," showing how a mysterious and exotic Indian woman named Cassandra introduced Batman to techniques that would help him to conquer the physical and spiritual consequences of what he does.

This chapter was interesting. I loved the animation style and the Batman design in this one but it was more of a flash back story, while Batman is crawling through a sewer. The back story was ok, there was one action sequence in the back story that I liked but that was about it.

Finally, in "Deadshot," four-time Emmy Award-winning writer Alan Burnett ties together threads from all the Batman Gotham Knight chapters, as Batman must thwart an unerring assassin whose love of guns and disregard for human life lets him cross lines that even a Dark Knight shies away from.

Out of all of the chapters this last one was my favorite. The story, the animation everything was right on with this one. I also loved the villain in this one; he had that ‘Wanted' sniper thing going for him. It has a great action sequence that takes place on top of a train. There is something to like from each of these short animated Batman films. This was a fun movie to watch. And incase you are wondering if it is ok for kids. It depends on what kind of movies you let them watch. ‘Batman: Gotham Knight' is full of violence and blood. This is a great contribution to the Batman legacy for us fanboys out there. So buy it or rent, you won't be disappointed. I would like to see Warner Bros. Animation continue to play with new animation styles and just fianlly break away from this Bruce Timm style standard that has been set over at their animation studio. They could learn a thing or two from Marvel Animation. Every animated movie they have put out has its own feel and style, they don't stick with just one. The original 'Batman: The Animated Series' is amazing and still holds strong today. Let that animation style stay with it. ‘Batman: Gotham Knight' is everything a Batman fan wants to see. - Dr. Venkman

Venkman here to let you know that the new full movie trailer for the film 'Quarantine' was recently released! As you may or may not know this is a remake of another foreign horror film except I think the trailer for the first movie made was much better. This one seems a bit more staged. It looks creepy and fun but it definitely does not feel real at all. 'Quarantine' is going to be filmed like 'Cloverfield' and 'Diary of the Dead'. There is going to be a guy walking around with a camera that will never turn off no matter, because the filmmaker Angela in the movie tells him to "Tape Everything! Do you here me? Tape everything!" The movie stars Jennifer Carpenter, Jay Hernandez, Johnathon Schaech, and Rade Serbedzij. Click on the Pic to watch the trailer in HD over at Yahoo!    

So MGM is really going through with this huh? The original 'Red Dawn' is one hell of a ridiculous movie to begin with. Sure its a classic bad 80's film but why remake a bad movie? I just don't get it. Well MGM went and got the remake a screenwriter and director. Carl Ellsworth will be writing the script he also wrote the film 'Red Eye' and Dan Bradley will be the remakes director. Who is Dan Bradley? Variety says:

Dan Bradley, a second unit director and/or stunt coordinator on "The Bourne Ultimatum," "Spider-Man 3" and the forthcoming "Quantum of Solace," will move into the director's chair for the update. Contrafilm's Beau Flynn and Tripp Vinson will produce.

So he is a second unit director huh? Thats cool. He has worked on some good movies. Now the poor guy gets to direct a remake of a bad cult classic. We'll I guess he wanted it. there are a million other ideas I would like to do or see made before a remake of 'Red Dawn'. Here is what the screenwriter Ellsworth has to say about the movie:

"The tone is going to be very intense, very much keeping in mind the post-9/11 world that we're in," says Ellsworth, who was 11 when the original was released. "As 'Red Dawn' scared the heck out of people in 1984, we feel that the world is kind of already filled with a lot of paranoia and unease, so why not scare the hell out of people again?"

Umm... because the idea is not really that scary at all. It just confuses the hell out of me that people like him think re-making old cult classics is a great idea. Sorry, I just can't share his enthusiasm. What do you think? Are you pumped that 'Red Dawn' is being remade? -Dr. Venkman

Venkman here with a great little horror movie trailer! I have not hered of this movie until today. It is called 'Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer' and it looks like it has the makings of a cult classic. The one thing thats its missing is Bruce Campbell as the lead, but this Trevor Matthews guy will have to do. It calls for a younger actor anyway. The movie also has Robert Englund in it though so thats awesome! Movieweb gives us a little description of the film:

No one would ever believe what happened the night Jack Brooks witnessed the brutal murder of his family. His life destroyed, all he has left is an unquenchable fury he's now fighting to control. Now the local plumber, Jack continuously struggles with his memories as his life becomes a downward spiral until his girlfriend Eve convinces him to attend night classes. Little does he know that in that dank, tiresome classroom, his destiny awaits. Evil awakens as Jack unknowingly disturbs the grounds surrounding Professor Crowley 's dilapidated old home. Lured by this ancient demonic power, Crowley discovers a monstrous black heart that quickly forces its way into him. Possessed by the heart now beating in his chest, the Professor starts a slow, gruesome, transformation... One night, as Crowley bursts into a creature of legends, Jack finally discovers the true purpose of his rage as he attempts to save the lives of his classmates and learns that you can't run from your past...

'Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer' is definitley B movie material and looks much better than M. Nights self proclaimed "best B movie ever" 'The Happening', unfortuately not as many people will see it. This looks like a fun movie! Check out the trailer below!

‘Chapter 27' is a movie based on Mark David Chapman the bastard that killed John Lennon. The movie stars Jared Leto and Lindsay Lohan. Someone thought it would make a great movie about this guy, why I have no idea. I would have much rather put the money into making a decent movie about the life of John Lennon, now he is an interesting guy! If you haven't been able to feel the vibe I am putting out on this movie, it's a negative one. I thought it would be at least a little interesting, but no, it was not interesting at all. The movie was bad, the script was bad, the acting was bad. Leto went and put on all the weight to play Mark Chapman and for what? Nothing. The movie was terrible I am not sure why anyone wasted there time on making this utter nonsense. There is nothing interesting about Mark David Chapman in this film. The movie moved at a snails pace. You know what is going to happen at the end so I hate to say it, but I found myself telling my wife in the middle of the movie that "I wish they would get to the part where he kills John already". Even when the part did come I just didn't care anymore because I never got into the movie. Had a movie been made on John Lennon and you come to know the man as the movie progresses and you start to become engulfed with his life. When the part of John getting killed comes along, it should really hit you and effect you in some way. But this movie does nothing like that. You feel nothing for Mark Chapman and you feel nothing when John is killed. You would think there would at least be a little tension before everything goes down, but its not there. There is literally no emotion at all in this movie. The dialogue is as monotone as the movie itself. I could not stand Jared Leto's voice over narration in the film, it was so annoying I think he overplayed his Character. Yeah thats how Mark talked, but why did they make this movie again? Personally I don't think Jared Leto is a good actor he sure didn't prove himself in this one. Lindsay Lohan pretty played herself. There was this repetitive close up shot throughout the film of Mark unfolding a cloth with revolver in it. It was ridiculous! The movie was directed by J.P. Schaefer. I will say this the movie did paint Mark Chapman l as a pathetic looser. I've seen much better movies about pathetic loosers though. Who knows maybe the audience was supposed to not like 'Chapter 27'. The film only opened up in 11 theaters and made about $56,000 so that should tell you something about the movie. 'Chapter 27' was one of those few movie I felt was waste of my time, but thats why I am writing this review, I watched the stupid movie so you wouldn't have to. -Dr. Venkman

Ok everyone that is going to the biggest, awesomnest, geekest convention of them all! We have the Comic-Con Schedule for Thursady July 24th 2008! We will add the schedules as they become available. So check it out below! It is jam packed with greatness! I will highlight the big things going down at the con so check em out yo! We will see you at the con! If you will see us walking around with Geektyrant shirts on. if you spot us stop us and we'll hook you up with a sweet free shirt!

Thursday, July 24

10:00-11:00 Click & Clack’s As the Wrench Turns—Behind the scenes at PBS’s hilarious new primetime toon, based on the famous radio show Car Talk, direct from Car Talk Plaza! Catch a sneak peek of a new episode, plus Q&A with the creators: Tom Sito (The Lion King, Osmosis Jones), Bill Kroyer (Tron, Garfield the Movie), Stephen Silver (Kim Possible), Floyd Norman (101 Dalmatians), Helen Jen (TMNT), Tom Minton (Pinky and the Brain), and executive producer Howard Grossman. Extra bonus feature: a special message for Comic-Con from the real Tom & Ray, the Tappet Bros! Room 2 10:00-11:00 75 Years of Doc Savage—Anthony Tollin (editor/publisher of Doc Savage and The Shadow double-novel reprints) leads a panel discussion on the pulp era’s greatest superhero and the Man of Bronze’s iconic influence on comic book superheroes, including Superman and Batman., Panelists will also discuss what’s coming up next in Nostalgia Ventures’ pulp reprint series. Panelists include movie producer/popular culture historian Michael Uslan. Room 5AB 10:00-11:00 Kings: Exclusive Sneak Peek Screening and Q&A with Cast and Executive Producers—Kings is a contemporary re-imagining of the timeless tale of David and Goliath, an epic story of greed and power, war and romance, forbidden loves and secret alliances, and a young hero who rises to power in a modern-day kingdom. Be the first to see an exclusive sneak peek from the two-hour pilot. Moderated by Greg Grunberg (Heroes), the panel includes a Q&A with creator/executive producer Michael Green (Heroes), director/executive producer Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend), executive producer Erwin Stoff (I Am Legend), and the cast: Golden Globe winner Ian McShane (Deadwood), Chris Egan (Resident Evil: Extinction), Susanna Thompson (Star Trek: Voyager), Sebastian Stan (Gossip Girl), and Allison Miller (Seventeen Again). Room 6B 10:00-11:00 Fans’ Guide to Comic-Con—Wesley Strawther, Matt Jeffery, Jesse Lopez, and Johann Joseph host your guide to the largest comics convention around. Designed to help rookie convention goers have the most fun possible, this panel offers even a gem or two for veteran attendees! Room 8 10:00-11:00 The Gene Roddenberry Legacy: Roddenberry in the 21st Century—Building on his father’s legacy with Star Trek, Rod Roddenberry and Roddenberry Productions are bringing the Roddenberry philosophy into the 21st century, through their work on the forthcoming feature documentary Trek Nation, as well as the development of original content in webcomics such as Rod & Barry and Gene’s Journal. This panel features exclusive Comic-Con looks at new Roddenberry content and projects currently in development. Featuring Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry, Trevor Roth (COO of Roddenberry Productions), and Paul Keller. Room 10 10:00-11:00 Masters of the Web—For the second year in a row the biggest genre and movie websites are coming together to discuss how new media have affected movie making, what it takes to run a popular site, and much more in a panel discussion and Q&A session. Participants include Robert Sanchez (IESB.net), Garth Franklin (Darkhorizons.com), Mike Sampson (Joblo.com), Erik Davis (Cinematical.com), John Campea (TheMovieBlog.com), Brad Miska (Bloody-Disgusting.com), Eric “Quint” Vespe (Aintitcool.com), Devin Faraci (CHUD.com), Paul Christensen (Movieweb.com), and Kellvin Chavez (Latinoreview.com). Moderated by directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor (Crank 2, The Game). Room 32AB 10:30-11:30 Tripwire—The staff of Tripwire and some friends discuss Tripwire Annual 2008 and the future of genre fiction, with special panelists Pat McGreal, Jamie McKelvie, and others. Moderated by Joel Meadows (editor-in-chief) and Andy Grossberg (associate editor, U.S.). Room 3 10:00-11:00 DC Talent Search Orientation—Learn what DC Comics looks for in artists and how to improve your chances of becoming a working professional! Panelists will discuss the different needs of the DC Universe, Vertigo, WildStorm, MAD magazine, Minx, and Zuda. This informative orientation session will explain how DC’s Talent Search works and provide numerous tips and tricks on how to improve your work and explore opportunities. In order to have your work reviewed, attendance at this orientation session is mandatory. (Please note: Not all attendees are guaranteed a one-on-one review.) Room 4 10:30-11:30 Freaks, Geeks, and Tiny Toons—Warner Home Video brings the hit animated television series Tiny Toon Adventures and Freakazoid! to DVD on July 29. This panel features Bruce Timm (storyboard artist, character designer), John McCann (Douglas Douglas, Hero Boy story editor), Paul Rugg (Freakazoid writer), Sherri Stoner (writer, producer, story editor), Paul Dini (writer, story editor), Jean MacCurdy (executive producer), Rich Arons (producer, writer, director) and Andrea Romano (voice director). They’re tiny, they’re toony, they’re all a little loony! Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, Tiny Toon Adventures is a Daytime Emmy Award animated series that spawned a whole new generation of madcap Looney Toons characters, including Buster Bunny, Babs Bunny, Plucky Duck, and Hamton J. Pig, among others. Freakazoid!aired for two seasons. Also executive produced by Spielberg, this Daytime Emmy Award–winning series chronicles the adventures of Freakazoid, a manic, insane superhero who battles a vast array of supervillains. Room 6A 10:30-11:30 Spotlight on Noel Neill—She’s celebrating her 60th anniversary as America’s favorite superhero sweetheart! Comic-Con special guest Noel Neill first took on the role of ace reporter Lois Lane in the 1948 Superman serial from Columbia, and she went on to provide the definitive depiction of the character in the popular 1950s TV show, Adventures of Superman, with George Reeves. Superman historian John Field interviews Ms. Neill about her life with the man in the cape and the rest of her amazing career! Room 7AB 10:30-11:30 Comics Arts Conference Session #1: Guerilla Warfare and Sneak Attacks: The Politics of Representing War in Film and Comics of the 1950s—Rocco Versaci (Palomar College) discusses his book This Book Contains Graphic Language: Comics as Literature, in which he champions comics as a legitimate literary artform and argues that comics as a marginalized medium have been uniquely suited to subvert dominant ideologies in ways impossible for more highly regarded media. In the 1940s and 1950s, when both the comics and film industries were hard at work representing war, comics—because they were considered a marginal entertainment media—were “freer” to deliver subversive and even incendiary political messages. Room 30AB 10:30-12:00 Comic Book Law School 101: Let’s Get It Started—A very good place to start…to start learning how to protect your intellectual property rights, that is! Learn the basics of copyright and trademark law in this popular interactive lecture series brought to you by noted attorney Michael Lovitz, author of The Trademark and Copyright Book comic book. This first workshop covers the basics of protection and ownership of ideas, works of authorship, characters, and names from conception through publication and beyond. Attendees will participate in an interactive discussion about basic rights provided under U.S. copyright and trademark laws, as well as new decisions and changes in the law and how they could affect those rights. Along the way, there will be plenty to learn about the protections, and pitfalls, of the U.S. trademark and copyright systems. Note: The Comic Book Law School seminars are designed to provide relevant information and practice tips to practicing attorneys, as well as practical tips to creators and other professionals who may wish to attend. [This program is approved for one (1) credit of California MCLE.] Room 30CDE 10:45-11:45 Reinventing the Page: Stan Lee and Grant Morrison Talk Virgin Comics—Two of the most important creators in the history of comic books team up to discuss the bold new frontiers being explored in the art of storytelling. Legendary creator Stan Lee (Spider-Man, Hulk, Iron Man, X-Men) shares his insights on the world of comics and presents never-before-revealed hints of his new superhero universe with Virgin Comics. Joining Stan is prolific creator Grant Morrison (New X-Men, All Star Superman, Final Crisis), contemporary comics’ most active mind, who will discuss his new Virgin Comics animated online series MBX while offering his own insights on comics and engaging with Stan in a once-in-a-lifetime conversation about the long history and boundless future of their beloved medium. Ballroom 20 11:00-12:00 Indies in Comics—Do you intend to create the next great comic book, action figure, or the like? If so, you know that doing so as an independent can be difficult. What should you do? How do you get started? The Antidote Trust is here to answer many of your questions. TAT, the ultimate independent creators’ collective, produces comics, action figures—nearly anything—and rivals the industry’s top companies in quality and professional outlook. TAT is a diverse group, including men and women from across the country and from all ethnicities. Their projects range from sci-fi to standard superhero to Asian/Indian mythology to noir to twists on today’s society. These trailblazers will discuss making independent projects that challenge the majors in production value, originality, and professionalism. Room 2 11:00-12:00 Professional Writing: Threat or Menace?—Let’s talk writing, creativity, and selling (and selling out), and what the world of professional writing is like. Questions that you’ve always wanted to ask? Creative blocks bugging you? Wondered what the H*O*L*L*Y*W*O*O*D life is really like? Show up and get answers to those questions. This no-holds-barred talk is moderated by J. Michael Straczynski. Room 5AB 11:00-12:00 The Comic Art of J. G. Jones—One of the most popular artists working in comics today, Comic-Con special guest J. G. Jones talks about his projects, including the summer blockbuster movie hit Wanted and DC’s Final Crisis, with Ian Sattler, senior story editor, DCU. Room 8 11:00-12:00 LGBT Portrayals in Comics—With the increased number of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) characters in both mainstream and indie comics today, it’s time to examine how they’re faring. Has this increased presence meant better and more complex portrayals, or is there more to be explored? Has the call for “positive” portrayals been beneficial, or has it left LGBT characters one-dimensional? And what can we expect in the future? Join moderator Patricia Jeres (Prism board member and talent and industry relations chair) and panelists Perry Moore (author of Hero, winner of the Lambda Literary Award; executive producer of Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia series), Gail Simone (Birds of Prey, Wonder Woman), and Bob Schreck (group editor, DC Comics) for this insightful discussion. Room 10 11:00-12:00 The Disney Animation Story Process—Nathan Greno (head of story, Bolt), Don Hall (head of story, The Princess and the Frog), Mark Kennedy (head of story, Rapunzel), Joe Mateo (story artist, Bolt), Michael LaBash (story artist, Bolt), Paul Briggs (story artist, The Princess and the Frog), and Josie Trinidad (story artist, The Princess and the Frog) offer an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look into the story process at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Coming together exclusively at Comic-Con, these story team leaders will take you from first concept to final story approval as they discuss the art of storyboarding, re-create story pitches, and share boarding styles from their upcoming animated features. Don’t miss this revealing and humorous panel and your chance to get a sneak peek at Disney’s next animated feature, Bolt! Room 32AB 11:15-12:15 30th Anniversary Battlestar Galactica Panel—Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek/Apollo), Bear McCreary (BG composer), producer Tom DeSanto (Transformers, X-Men), Dr. Kevin Grazier (science consultant), and surprise guests present an in-depth discussion of the Battlestar universe from the classic to the re-imagined and beyond, including BSG trailers and Q&A. Room 6B 11:30-12:30 Spotlight on Neil Googe—From Welcome to Tranquility to WildCats: World’s End, it’s no secret that artist Neil Googe is a talent on the rise! Find out all you want to know about this up-and-coming star artist with moderator and WildStorm senior editor Ben Abernathy, including plans that will surely change the WildStorm Universe! Room 3 11:30-12:30 From the K Chronicles to The Knight Life: Keith Knight—Help celebrate the release of Comic-Con favorite Keith Knight’s The Complete K Chronicles, a 500-page omnibus collection of the Harvey Award–winning comic strip. Knight will present his hilarious slideshow, chronicling his jump from self-published zines to award-winning comic strip, ending with his new syndicated daily strip, The Knight Life, recently launched by United Features Syndicate. Room 4 11:30-12:30 SPORE: One-on-One with Will Wright—Will Wright is best known for creating the SimCity and The Sims video game franchises, the latter of which has sold more than 100 million games to date. In 2007, he was given the Vanguard Award from the Producer’s Guild of America, making him the first person in the videogame industry to receive such an honor. Wright’s next video game, SPORE, is scheduled for release on September 7. Join Will Wright for his first-ever appearance at Comic-Con! Room 6CDEF 11:30-12:30 Hasbro: GI Joe—As Hasbro ramps up for the summer 2009 blockbuster movie release of GI Joe, Aaron Archer (Hasbro Design), Michael Ritchie (Hasbro Marketing), and Michelino Paolino (Hasbro Design) discuss this year’s product line, entertainment, and other initiatives. Panelists will include special guests that you won’t want to miss, plus Q&A! Room 7AB 11:30-1:00 Comics Arts Conference Session #2: Comics Pedagogy—As comics find more mainstream acceptance, they are increasingly being incorporated into higher education. This panel looks at comics in the classroom both as texts and as tools. Jeffrey Kahan (University of Laverne) and David Baldizon (School of Arts and Enterprise) discuss their use of comic books to teach English composition and to foster greater cultural awareness more generally through the exploration of comics’ social, historical and literary significance. Patrick Jagoda (Duke University) considers how to incorporate comics as a medium into an otherwise “high literary” and theoretical curriculum. Chris “Tof” Eklund, Aaron Kashtan, and James Reaves (University of Florida) present the innovative approaches to comics studies currently being practiced by graduate students in the University of Florida’s Department of English, focusing on the uses of Lovecraft adaptations, Scott Pilgrim’s video game logic, and art spiegelman’s funny animals. A professional development certificate for teachers is available for this session. Room 30AB 11:30-1:00 20th Century Fox: The Day The Earth Stood Still and Max Payne—

Stars Keanu Reeves and Jennifer Connelly, plus director Scott Derrickson and producer Erwin Stoff, present an exclusive look at The Day The Earth Stood Still, Fox’s contemporary reinvention of its 1951 classic. Keanu is Klaatu, an alien whose arrival on our planet triggers a global upheaval. As governments and scientists race to unravel the mystery behind the visitor’s appearance, a woman (Jennifer) and her young stepson get caught up in his mission—and come to understand the ramifications of his being a self-described “friend to the Earth.” Klaatu Barada Nikto. The legendary interactive video game Max Payne comes to the big screen, telling the story of a maverick cop determined to track down those responsible for the brutal murder of his family and partner. Hell-bent on revenge, his obsessive investigation takes him on a nightmare journey into a dark underworld. As the mystery deepens, Max is forced to battle enemies beyond the natural world and face an unthinkable betrayal. “Max Payne” himself—Mark Wahlberg—will be on hand with Mila Kunis, Ludacris, and director John Moore to discuss turning the game’s noirish, hard-hitting, and complex world and characters into a movie event.

Hall H 11:45-12:45 Knight Rider: First Look at the New Series and Q&A with Cast and Executive Producers—On the heels of NBC’s hit sequel movie based on the iconic 1980s television classic, Knight Rider has been reinvented as a supercharged action series showcasing the new KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand). Be the first to see exclusive footage from the new series. Moderated by Television Week deputy editor/columnist Josef Adalian, who participates in a Q&A session with executive producer/showrunner Gary Scott Thompson (The Fast and The Furious, Las Vegas); executive producer David Bartis (Heist, The OC); and the cast: Justin Bruening (Cold Case), Deanna Russo (NCIS), Sydney Tamiia Poitier (Veronica Mars), Paul Campbell (Battlestar Galactica), Yancey Arias (Kingpin), Bruce Davison (X-Men) and Smith Cho (Blades of Glory). Room 6A 12:00-1:00 Sideshow Collectibles—Sideshow Collectibles is a leading manufacturer in the world of figure collectibles, with an award-winning artistic team. Sideshow’s product development team offers insights into the newest products and licenses, as well as a Q&A session. Room 2 12:00-1:00 The New Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s: English-Language World Premiere—Be the first on the planet to see the English language version of the new Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s television series. Plus, meet the team behind the show, including—straight from Japan—producer Teruaki Jitsumatsu (Transformers: Robots in Disguise). Yumi Hoashi of Konami, and representatives from UpperDeck, 4KidsEntertainment, and Playmates Toys will also reveal what’s in store for Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s fans and, while supplies last, offer a few surprises for lucky attendees! Room 5AB 12:00-1:00 Spotlight on Paul Gulacy—One of the most exciting artists working in comics, Comic-Con special guest Paul Gulacy has a career spanning over 30 years. Famous for his cinematic style on books such as Master of Kung Fu, Gulacy talks about his work, past, present, and future. Room 8 12:00-1:00 How Not to Break into Comics—There have been countless articles and panels on how to break into comics, but very few on how not to. Randal C. Jarrell (managing editor at Oni Press), Jennifer de Guzman (editor-in-chief of SLG Publishing), and other industry insiders discuss the common and often-hilarious mistakes people make when trying to pitch or get work in the comics industry. This unique inside perspective will help any prospective creator learn how to navigate the potential pitfalls that doom far too many in their attempts to break into comics. If you want to work in comics, you do not want to miss this panel! Room 10 12:00-1:00 Doctor Who—Writer Russell T Davies (Doctor Who), executive producer Julie Gardner (Torchwood), and writer Steven Moffat (Doctor Who) discuss their creative process and experience working on the BBC’s Doctor Who—Britain’s most successful sci-fi franchise—with exclusive clips and a Q&A session. Ballroom 20 12:00-1:00 Classics Illustrated—Classics Illustrated is back, and it’s got company! Publishers ranging from Marvel to the Bible house Thomas Nelson are offering James Bond adaptations, manga versions of Shakespeare, and everything in between. How do writers and artists face the scary task of making the classics fresh while living up to the original works’ greatness? Rick Geary, Roy Thomas, Charles Kochman, and David Seidman reveal how they’ve been doing it. Room 32AB 12:30-1:30 Spotlight on Eddie Campbell—Comic-Con special guest Eddie Campbell talks about his books, including From Hell, The Fate of the Artist and his latest, due for release at Comic-Con, The Amazing Remarkable Monsieur Leotard, His co-writer on the latter, Dan Best, will also be on hand to answer questions. Room 3 12:30-1:15 Humor in Science Fiction—Learn the secrets of the humor game from some top insiders in the field, including David Gerrold (”The Trouble With Tribbles”), William F. Nolan (Sam Space, Logan’s Run), John Truby (Anatomy of Story), George Clayton Johnson (Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Ocean’s 11, Logan’s Run), and Marc Scott Zicree (executive producer, Sliders; author of The Twilight Zone Companion). Moderated by Chas Holloway with Shadowstar Games president Mark O’Bannon. Room 4 12:30-1:30 DC: Superman: Man of Tomorrow—The groundwork is being laid now for the next phase of Superman’s heroic career. The architects of Superman’s future are here to give you a glimpse of what is to come. Featuring Superman senior editor Matt Idelson, Geoff Johns (Action Comics), James Robinson (Superman), Renato Guedes (Superman), and more! Room 6B 12:30-1:30 William Katt: Greatest American Hero Comic—Join Alex, Justin, and Pete from Pulp Secret for one of the biggest announcements at this year’s Comic-Con, an event that’s been 25 years in the making. Catastrophic Comics’ William Katt (Greatest American Hero), Christopher Folino (Gamers), and Derek McCaw (Fanboy Planet) along with Arcana Studios’ Sean O’Reilly (The Clockwork Girl) are on hand for an interview and Q&A. Room 7AB 1:00-2:00 Spotlight on Steve Purcell—Join Sam & Max creator—and Eisner Award winner and Comic-Con special guest—Steve Purcell on a visual tour from his first scratchy Sam & Max strips through his career as an illustrator, game designer, and concept artist to his current role as a Pixar storyteller. Q&A to follow. Room 2 1:00-2:00 Modern Masters: Live!—Modern Masters editor Eric Nolen-Weathington brings together three of the greatest artists in comics—Frank Cho (Liberty Meadows, Mighty Avengers), Michael Golden (Micronauts, The ‘Nam), and Mark Schultz (Xenozoic Tales, Superman: Man of Steel)—for a conversation about art, comics, and beyond! Room 5AB 1:00-2:00 Activision with Stan Lee—From webslinging to forming the ultimate alliance of superheroes, Marvel and Activision continue to bring many of the world’s most popular and beloved comic book heroes to life like never before. Explore, behind the scenes, how the teams draw inspiration from a generation of Stan Lee’s legendary Marvel comics to re-create the most authentic heroes and advanced superpowers in high-definition for today’s gamer. Stan Lee, members from Activision’s development studios Shaba Games and Vicarious Visions, and former game designer and current comic writer Brian Reed present an engaging discussion and preview of the imagination, creative process, and technology used to develop the most advanced superhero games ever. Room 6A 1:00-2:00 Mark and Sergio—The world’s fastest cartoonist joins forces with the Comic-Con 2008 weekend record holder for panel moderation! Yes, it’s Mark Evanier and Sergio Aragonés together again. Expect lots of talk on Groo and anything else these two whirlwinds are conspiring to bring us in the near future. Room 8 1:00-2:00 Bongo Comics—Celebrate 15 years of mischief and merriment with Bongo Comics. Be a party to the party as managing editor Terry Delegeane and creative director Bill Morrison host a panel featuring the writers and artists who create the comics and books based on Matt Groening’s phenomenal TV shows. Find out what’s in the future for the upstart comic book company that Bart built. This is a “must-attend” panel for all fans of The Simpsons and Futurama. Room 10 1:00-2:00 Torchwood—Writer Russell T Davies (Doctor Who), executive producer Julie Gardner (Torchwood), writer Steven Moffat (Doctor Who), and actors John Barrowman, Gareth David-Lloyd, Naoko Mori and Burn Gorman discuss their creative process and experience on working on BBC America’s highest-rated show ever—Torchwood— followed by a Q&A session. Ballroom 20 1:00-2:00 Hi-Fi Coloring Workshop—Brian Miller (Superman) and Kristy Miller (Hi-Fi Color for Comics) share their tips, tricks, and techniques for coloring comics. Want to learn how to color? Join Brian and Kristy for a coloring demonstration and Q&A session. Room 30CDE 1:00-2:00 The Future of the Comics Pamphlet—Are serialized comics in a death-spiral? Is the graphic novel the sole shape of comics to come? Retailers including Carr D’Angelo (Earth 2 Comics), publishing representatives including Joe Keatinge (Image Comics), and cartoonists discuss the state of the periodical with moderator Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics). Room 32AB 1:15-2:00 How to Tell a Story—Get a deep insight into the craft of storytelling from these masters in the field: David Gerrold (TV writer, author of 30+ novels), William F. Nolan (TV and film writer, author of over a dozen novels), George Clayton Johnson (Twilight Zone, Star Trek, Ocean’s 11, Logan’s Run), John Truby (owner, John Truby’s Writer’s Studio, author, Anatomy of Story), and Marc Scott Zicree (TV writer, executive producer, Sliders; author of The Twilight Zone Companion). Moderated by Chas Holloway with Shadowstar Games president Mark O’Bannon. Room 4 1:15-2:45 Summit Pictures—Summit Entertainment presents a sneak peek of exclusive footage of some of its upcoming major film releases:

Push—In this futuristic sci-fi thriller set in Hong Kong, a group of young American ex-pats with extraordinary psychic abilities must band together and use their different talents on a final mission to escape a clandestine government agency forever. Chris Evans, Dakota Fanning, Djimon Hounsou, Camilla Belle and director Paul McGuigan present a first look at exclusive footage and answer questions about the film. Knowing—An action thriller of global proportions. Director Alex Proyas appears in person to introduce never-before-seen footage for his new major motion picture starring Nicolas Cage. Twilight—Based on the #1 New York Times best-selling book series, Twilight is an action-packed, modern-day love story between a vampire and a mortal. Director Catherine Hardwicke, author Stephenie Meyer, and the cast—including Robert Pattinson (Edward), Kristen Stewart (Bella), Cam Gigandet (James), Rachelle LaFevre (Victoria), Edi Gathegi (Laurant), and Taylor Lautner (Jacob)—answer your questions about bringing the world of these beloved characters to life on the big screen and show exclusive footage from the film.

Hall H 1:30-2:30 Conan Comics and Beyond—Dark Horse Comics revitalized Conan in 2004—now it’s set to launch stunning interpretations of Robert E. Howard heroes Kull and Solomon Kane in 2008. Conan editor Philip Simon moderates a discussion of the upcoming titles with creators who’ve worked on Howard comics past and present—Scott Allie (Solomon Kane), Will Conrad (Kull), Dave Stewart (Solomon Kane), and José Villarrubia (Conan)—focusing on the company’s new series and adapting Howard’s works to comics. Room 3 1:30-3:00 Artemis Fowl—Eoin Colfer, author of the blockbuster Artemis Fowl series, launches his sixth book in the series, Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox, with Fairies, Fiends and Flatulence, a hilarious one man live show that explains to fans the genesis of each of Eoin’s characters in the books—both good and evil—all of which come from his four Irish brothers. Room 7AB 1:45-2:45 Marvel: X-Men—The X-Men have a new home and a new direction in Manifest Destiny. This star-studded, must-attend panel features the writers of the X-Verse, including Ed Brubaker (Uncanny X-Men), Matt Fraction (Uncanny X-Men), Chris Yost (X-Force), Craig Kyle (X-Force), Daniel Way (Deadpool), Marjorie Liu (NYX), and Duane Swierczynski (Cable), plus Axel Alonso (X-Men group editor) and Nick Lowe (X-Men editor). Room 6B 2:00-3:00 Science Fiction That Will Change Your Life—A discussion of science fiction stories intended to make you rethink your whole life or alter your perceptions. With Annalee Newitz (editor-in-chief, io9.com; contributor, Wired), Austin Grossman (author, Soon I Will Be Invincible), Charlie Jane Anders (news editor, io9.com; contributor, Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet), Graeme McMillan (weekend editor, io9.com, contributor, Newsarama), and Patrick Lee (editor, Sci-Fi Wire). Room 2 2:00-3:00 Spotlight on Signe Wilkinson—Comic-Con special guest Signe Wilkinson, Philadelphia Daily News editorial cartoonist and creator of the new comic strip Family Tree, will talk and show slides about juggling politics, family humor, and hate mail. Famed editorial cartoonist Ted Rall introduces the discussion. Room 4 2:00-3:00 The Middleman—Creator and executive producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost) and The Middleman actors Matt Keeslar (Dune) and Natalie Morales (CSI: Miami) discuss the bizarre world of The Middleman. Based on the graphic novels by Javier Grillo-Marxuach, The Middleman follows the surreal life of twenty-something Wendy Watson as she gets recruited by a top secret agency to fight comic book-esque criminals under the guidance of her straight-laced boss, The Middleman. Room 5AB 2:00-3:00 Red Sonja: One-on-One—Robert Rodriguez (Sin City), Rose McGowan (Grindhouse), Doug Aarniokoski (2nd unit director, Resident Evil 3) and David White (Undisputed 2) are teaming up to bring back the red-headed warrior woman known as Red Sonja. Join Robert, Rose, Doug, and David for this one-on-one interview and Q&A session! Room 6CDEF 2:00-3:30 Spotlight on Todd Klein—Eisner award-winning letterer and logo designer Todd Klein (Sandman, Fables) is joined by moderator Mark Evanier (Fanboy, Kirby: King of Comics) for a discussion of his 30-plus years in comics, from early days on staff at DC and lettering by hand to his present-day freelance career on many titles for DC, Marvel, and others, mainly on the computer. Focus will be on the intricacies of lettering, logo design, and more, as Todd and Mark show and discuss images of classic comics logos. Todd will also cover his recent self-published signed prints by Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman and give away several copies of each. Room 8 2:00-3:00 Spotlight on Jim Woodring: Please Stand By—Comic-Con special guest Jim Woodring (The Frank Book) presents a slide show with commentary providing a rare overview of his life, career, motivations, methods, and dark personal secrets. Q&A session to follow. Room 10 2:00-3:30 Comics Arts Conference Session #4: Superman’s 70th Anniversary—Price Hamilton (American Falls High School) compares three different versions of the Superman origin story and three versions of the Jewish folk tale “The Golem of Prague” to demonstrate how certain images begin to appropriate larger meanings through their consistent repetition. Liam Burke (National University of Galway) asks what makes some heroes “super,” examining the superhero archetype to uncover the superhero secret identity and to discover who are the “Men of Tomorrow.” Ben Saunders (University of Oregon) suggests that the essence of Superman’s appeal—the core of his mythic significance—may have nothing to do with his superpowers and everything to do with the most serious and profound issues of philosophical ethics. Room 30AB 2:00-3:30 Animation on a $hoestring—Learn the down and dirty tricks on how to create your own animation studio on a low budget, from Larry Loc, the author of Animation on a ShoeString. Find out how to assemble the equipment you will need, how to build or buy equipment, and what software to use to edit and composite your project. Room 30CDE 2:00-3:00 Clickwheel: On-Demand Digital Comics for iPod and iPhone—Is the new comic shop right in the palm of your hand? Join Clickwheel editor-in-chief Tim Demeter for a demonstration of the latest in mobile comics’ technology. Tim will discuss the emergence of mobile content and digital delivery in the comic book industry and how it’s changing the landscape of the business. Learn how to download and sync comics on your iPod or how to receive them on demand on your iPhone or iPod Touch! Creators interested in taking advantage of these new methods of distribution won’t want to miss the site demonstration, as Clickwheel.net is free for anyone to use. Room 32AB 2:15-3:15 Halo Wars and the Halo Universe—Prima Games, Tor Books, McFarlane Toys, and Microsoft Games Studio bring you an in-depth panel discussion on all things Halo. Panelists include Eric Nylund, author of Halo: The Fall of Reach and Halo: First Strike Onyx; Tobias Buckell, author of the upcoming novel Halo: The Cole Protocol; game universe writers Graeme Devine (Halo Wars) and Frank O’Connor (Halo Trilogy); and Jon Goff and Corrinne Robinson, McFarlane Toys’ brand management team for Halo action figures. Room 6A 2:15-3:15 Anchor Bay: Jack Brooks Monster Slayer Artists Panel—Preview the upcoming DVD release of Jack Brooks Monster Slayer with star/producer Trevor Matthews, director/co-writer Jon Knautz, producer Patrick White, composer Ryan Shore, creature designer David Scott, and horror icon Robert Englund! Then hear writer/director Daniel Waters (Heathers), Oscar-nominated screenwriter Josh Olson (Masters of Science Fiction), and writer/director Robert Hall (Laid to Rest) discuss their latest Anchor Bay projects! Moderated by Shock Til You Drop’s Ryan Rotten. Ballroom 20 2:30-3:30 Dumbrella—Artists from Dumbrella, one of the most popular online comics collectives, discuss webcomics, independent publishing, and subverting popular culture. Feel free to quiz Andrew Bell (The Creatures in My Head), Sam Brown (explodingdog), Jon Rosenberg (Goats), and Richard Stevens III (Diesel Sweeties), along with special guests M.C. Frontalot and Meredith Gran (Octopus Pie), about anything your Internet heart desires. Room 3 3:00-4:00 Spotlight on Bill Willingham—Both a master storyteller and an incredible artist, Bill Willingham has created a huge following for his books. His credits range from DCU’s Salvation Run and Shadowpact to the already classic Vertigo Fables and Jack of Fables and the new House of Mystery. Hosted by superstar Fables artist Mark Buckingham, this panel is sure to thrill! Room 2 3:00-4:00 Comic-Con Talkback 1—Here’s your chance: talk to Comic-Con representatives about your first day and Preview Night. Have a complaint, a question, a suggestion or even some praise? Bring it! Room 4 3:00-4:00 DVD/Blu-ray Producers 2008—Bill Hunt, Todd Doogan, and Adam Jahnke (The Digital Bits.com, Geek Monthly) discuss the latest DVD and Blu-ray Disc developments and look ahead at upcoming releases. Panelists include Javier Soto (Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy II: The Golden Army), Charles de Lauzirika (Blade Runner, Twin Peaks), Andy Mangels (The Real Ghostbusters, Slimer), Cliff Stephenson (Rambo, Crank 1 & 2), and Robert Meyer Burnett (Shoot ’Em Up, Free Enterprise 2). There will be lots of Q&A, so be sure to bring your questions! Room 5AB 3:00-4:00 Wizard’s First Rule—Sam Raimi (Spider-Man) and Ken Biller (Star Trek: Voyager) give you a first look at the upcoming television series Wizard’s First Rule. The one-hour weekly series, premiering in late fall, is based on Terry Goodkind’s bestselling epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth, which follows the extraordinary transformation of woodsman Richard Cypher into a magical leader who joins with a mysterious, beautiful woman to stop a bloodthirsty, sinister tyrant. Join Sam and Ken for a moderated interview and audience Q&A session! Room 6B 3:00-4:00 Spotlight on Ed Brubaker—The Comic-Con special guest Ed Brubaker is the Eisner Award–winning writer (Best Writer 2007, Best New Series 2007—Criminal) whose work on Captain America, Daredevil, X-Men, and Criminal has catapulted him into the upper echelon of today’s best comic writers. Ed talks about what’s next in this Spotlight presentation. Room 7AB 3:00-4:00 TwoMorrows Publishing Today—Join the crew from TwoMorrows Publishing for a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into creating all their fan-favorite books and magazines on the art and history of comics! Publisher John Morrow, Modern Masters’ Eric Nolen-Weathington, Write Now!’s Danny Fingeroth, Brick Journal’s Joe Meno, and Keith Dallas, author of TwoMorrows’ new Flash Companion book unveil new products and offer exclusive previews of upcoming items. Room 10 3:00-4:00 How to Break into Comics: Freddie E. Williams II—A few years ago, Freddie E. Williams II (artist on Robin, The Flash, Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle, and others) broke into comics through DC Comics’ Talent Search. Since that time, Freddie has worked on some of DC’s top-selling books. In this panel, Freddie lends his unique insights about breaking into comics by describing what editors are looking for, what you should include in your portfolio, and how to hang on to a job once you’ve gotten it. Room 32AB 3:00-4:00 Disney: Race to Witch Mountain—What secrets does Witch Mountain hold? Stars Dwayne Johnson and Carla Gugino and director Andy Fickman talk about the mysterious, paranormal activity around Witch Mountain. Dwayne, Carla, and Andy will present the first look at the movie and answer audience questions as they talk about the thrilling action-adventure that is set to hit theatres in March 2009! Hall H 3:15-4:15 Capcom: The Making of Street Fighter IV—Producer Yoshinoro Ono (Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams) and associate producer David Crislip deliver an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the making of the much-anticipated Street Fighter IV video game, featuring the design of classic and new characters, creating compelling gameplay. Also, a sneak peek at the animated SFIV minimovies being created to complement the game. There will be a Q&A session as well as Street Fighter-related surprises! Street Fighter cosplayers are highly encouraged to attend this event, as it marks the 20th anniversary of the Street Fighter franchise. Room 6CDEF 3:30-4:30 Manga: Lost in Translation—America loves foreign comics, especially manga. And as more and more movies based on these properties are produced, the way these comics are translated becomes an integral part of their success. Join experienced translators, editors, and manga and anime experts in a discussion of the art and craft of helping to make these stories the mega-hits they are today. Panelists include William Flanagan (Fairy Tail), Jonathan Tarbox (Switch), Jason Thompson (Manga: The Complete Guide), Mari Morimoto (Naruto), Stephen Paul (Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad), Julie Davis (Anime Classics Zettai!), and Mark Simmons (Gundam 00)! Room 3 3:30-4:30 Entertainment Weekly’s The Visionaries: Comic Creators—Jim Lee (All-Star Batman & Robin), John Cassaday (The Astonishing X-Men), Matt Fraction (Casanova), Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), Colleen Doran (A Distant Soil), and Grant Morrison (Final Crisis) are the writers and artists blazing a path into the future of comics. Coming from both the mainstream and the independent worlds, these men and women can provide unique insights into the comics landscape. Moderated by Entertainment Weekly staff editor Nisha Gopalan. Room 6A 3:30-5:00 Golden and Silver Age of Comics—It’s the amazing annual gathering of the resident greats from the Golden and Silver Ages of comics! Moderated by Mark Evanier, this year’s list of luminaries includes Al Feldstein (EC editor/writer/artist), Victor Gorelick (Archie Comics editor and writer), Al Jaffee (MAD magazine cartoonist), comics writer/artist Larry Lieber, Harvey Comics writer/editor Sid Jacobson, and artists Russ Heath (G.I. Combat, Sgt. Rock) and Jerry Robinson (Batman). Filled with personal reminiscences and anecdotes, this panel promises to be a treasure trove of comics history! Room 8 3:30-4:30 Quantum Quest—This science fiction/science fact, 3D, large-format CGI-animated film will take you on a fantastic atomic journey through space. Quantum Quest combines a captivating science fiction story with a mind-blowing real safari through the solar system (created using radar data and extraordinary imagery from seven NASA missions). The film is the only one to be initiated by JPL/NASA and is sponsored by JPL/NASA and Digimax Animation Studios (Taiwan). Co-directors Harry Kloor (Star Trek Voyager, Earth Final Conflict, Godzilla) and Dan St. Pierre (Everyone’s Hero, Shark Tale, Tarzan) show exclusive footage from the film, which will be released in late summer, 2009 in both large-format and Real D theaters worldwide. Watch for surprise appearances by some members of the voice cast, which includes legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong, Chris Pine, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Alexander, Sandra Oh, William Shatner, Brent Spiner, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, and Abigail Breslin. Ballroom 20 3:30-4:30 Bat-Manga! Chip Kidd and the Secret History of Batman in Japan—Chip Kidd (Mythology) lifts the veil on officially licensed, original Batman manga stories from 1966 Japan, not previously collected or translated in over 40 years. Narrated slide show, with Q&A to follow. Room 30AB 3:30-5:00 Resin Casting and Silicone Mold-Making—Jeff Broz has presented six previous seminars about plastics and casting. Sam Girgis has loved spaceship design since the Apollo missions. Whether you want to produce a garage kit model or reproduce a broken part for your vintage toy, this year’s seminar will cover material choices and advance into more complex silicone mold design and casting techniques that should offer secrets to the novice and the working Joes in the trenches for short run 3D duplication, and for garage kits or industrial design. Plus, more about vendors and material choices to cast your sculptures and models. Room 30CDE 4:00-5:00 Dark Horse Horror—Dark Horse Comics is home to some of the best horror comics ever produced, from Mike Mignola’s Hellboy and Steve Niles’ Criminal Macabre to upcoming collections of the classic horror magazines Creepy and Eerie. Dark Horse editors Scott Allie and Shawna Gore and a handful of our top creators take a look ahead at their spookiest projects for 2008, including a sneak peek at the 25th anniversary edition of Bernie Wrightson’s Frankenstein and a special appearance by the artist. Room 2 4:00-5:00 TV Costume Designers—Characters created by writers and comic book illustrators are made real for the screen via the artistry of costume designers. Meet the women and men who are the costume designers on this year’s most popular television productions. Panel moderator Hope Hanafin, costume designer and VP of the Costume Designers Guild, Local 892, hosts costume designers Shawna Trpcic (Firefly), Roland Sanchez (Lost), Debra McGuire (Heroes), Amanda Friedland (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), and Cynthia Bergstrom (Buffy, The Vampire Slayer). Room 4 4:00-5:00 Superhero Superfiction—Superheroes don’t appear just in comics anymore. Authors discuss how to write superhero prose. Panelists include superhero prose authors Kevin J. Anderson (Last Days of Krypton), Michael Carroll (Quantum Prophecy: The Awakening), Professor Christopher Chambers (The Darker Mask), Vicki Pettersson (The Signs of the Zodiac series), Gary Phillips (The Darker Mask), Melinda M. Snodgrass (Wild Cards), Caroline Spector (Wild Cards) and Doselle Young (The Darker Mask). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 5AB 4:00-5:00 Minx: Your Life in Pictures—In its first year, Minx found a whole new audience by creating original graphic novels for teenage girls. This year, Minx is breaking all the rules with another onslaught of amazing books. Panelists include group editor Shelly Bond and creators Cecil Castellucci (Janes in Love), David Hahn (All Nighter), Ryan Kelly (New York Four), Deborah Vankin (Insta-Life), and Brian Wood (DMZ, New York Four). Room 10 4:00-5:00 Star Trek Without a Blueprint: How Books and Comics Keep Expanding the Boundaries of the Star Trek Universe—Andy Mangels (moderator and Star Trek author), Margaret Clark (executive editor, Pocket Books), Andy Schmidt (senior editor, IDW) and Star Trek authors Kevin Dilmore, Dave Mack, Scott Tipton, and Dayton Ward discuss the future of Star Trek publishing. Room 32AB 4:15-5:15 Afro Samurai: Resurrection Exclusive Worldwide Premiere!—Afro Samurai picks up his sword once again for the second installment of this critically acclaimed, funktastic anime! This action-packed panel features the creators behind the hit, including star and executive producer Samuel L. Jackson (The Spirit), original creator Takahashi Okazaki, musical artist The RZA (Kill Bill), and executive producer Leo Chu (Spike TV). Be the first to see the worldwide premiere of the exclusive Comic-Con trailer, dazzling artwork from the manga, and never-before-seen demos of the pulse-pounding video game. Room 6B 4:15-5:15 Lionsgate/Marvel: Hulk vs. Wolverine—Alberta, Canada: Over the past week, the Incredible Hulk has been tearing a line across the Canadian wilderness, leaving a swathe of destruction in his wake. He has to be stopped, and there’s only one man up to the job. He’s the best at what he does, but what he does isn’t very nice. He’s Wolverine, an elite agent of Canada’s top secret Department H, and he’s been put on Hulk’s trail with a single objective: stop the green goliath…at all costs. Hulk and Wolverine are about to enter the fiercest battle of their lives. And they have no idea that there are a few unpleasant surprises waiting for them on the other side. Meet Craig Kyle (supervising producer/co-writer), Frank Paur (producer/supervising director), Christopher Yost (co-writer), and others involved in this Marvel Animation milestone and watch the complete Hulk vs. Wolverine months before its January 2009 Blu-ray and DVD release! Hall H 4:30-5:30 Episodic Games: Rewriting the Adventure Genre—With the first installment of Penny Arcade Adventures launched, the season finale of Sam & Max Season Two in the bag, and the recent debut of Strong Bad’s Cool Game for Attractive People, episodic adventure gaming has emerged as a viable new medium for interactive entertainment. Learn about episodic storytelling, adapting the humor and gameplay of the traditional adventure genre for a new generation of gamers, and the challenges of both as Joel DeYoung (Hothead Games), Arthur We (Hothead Games), Dan Connors (Telltale Games), and Dave Grossman (Telltale Games) sound off in this panel and Q&A session moderated by Frank Cifaldi (Gametap). Room 3 4:30-5:30 HBO’s True Blood—Based on the popular Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris, True Blood is created by Alan Ball, creator of HBO’s Emmy-winning series Six Feet Under. The series takes place in the not-too-distant future, when, thanks to the invention of synthetic blood, vampires no longer need humans for their fix and can walk freely, if not yet comfortably, among their living counterparts. With their integration into a small Louisiana town causing a stir, a love story ensues between Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin, the X-Men films; Academy Award winner for The Piano), an innocent waitress with the unusual ability to read minds, and vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer, The Starter Wife). The series also features Ryan Kwanten (Summerland), Rutina Wesley (How She Move), Sam Trammell (Judging Amy), and Nelsan Ellis (The Inside). True Blood debuts September 7 exclusively on HBO. Room 6CDEF 4:30-5:30 UClick: Mobile Comics—GoComics, the leader in online and mobile comics and manga, looks at a market truly coming in to its own. Panelists will discuss the evolution of comic strips and comic books in the digital age and examine new publishing platforms that make mobile viewing part of a complete comics experience. They’ll introduce new content from their partners: Stan Lee, Tokyopop, Virgin Comics, IDW, Devil’s Due, Papercutz, TMNT and more. Learn about what the future of mobile comics promises for fans and creators alike. Room 30AB 4:45-5:45 Mondo Marvel—2008 has already been a huge success for Marvel in all corners of the Universe. Now, join top editors and creators, including Greg Pak (Skaar, Son of Hulk), Matt Fraction (Invincible Iron Man), Ed Brubaker (Captain America), Jeff Parker (Agents of Atlas), Warren Simons (editor), Mark Paniccia (editor), and Jim McCann (publishing), to find out what’s to come for Iron Man, Hulk, Daredevil, the FF, and all things Marvel. Room 6A 4:45-5:45 “SCREAM” Like a Girl—Spike loves women. And the coolest women on the planet are the ones who destroy aliens, defeat serial killers and battle evil villains with their superpowers! In honor of Spike’s Scream Awards 2008—the first and most important televised event that celebrates the genius creative talent behind the powerhouse Hollywood genres of comic books, science fiction, fantasy and horror—Spike brings you a candid discussion of these genres from the women they love, who are poised to rule the fanboy’s universe! Moderator Kevin Smith (Clerks), the brilliant writer, director, and comic book genius hosts an all-female panel of actresses, artists, writers, directors, and producers in a discussion about working in these genres from their unique point of view. Twenty lucky panel attendees will win tickets to the 2008 Scream Awards. Ballroom 20 5:00-6:00 The Making of the Vertigo Encyclopedia—Dig into the wealth of information DC Comics, Vertigo, and DK Publishing have and find out how a comic book imprint’s encyclopedia is created, from getting the material to organizing it and putting it out on the shelves. Get the down and dirty info from Karen Berger (senior VP/executive editor—Vertigo), Alastair Dougall (senior editor—DK Publishing), and Alex Irvine (author), and watch the world premiere of the documentary The Making of the Vertigo Encyclopedia. Room 2 5:00-6:00 Bandai Entertainment’s Anime Invasion—In 2008, Bandai Entertainment has put together an amazing line up of anime titles: Code Geass, Lucky Star, Gurren Lagann, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Sword of the Stranger, Ghost Slayers Ayashi, Gundam 00, and many more. Join Bandai Entertainment president Ken Iyadomi and director of marketing Robert Napton to hear all the latest news on the company’s releases, learn some tidbits about what’s coming, up and maybe get some free stuff! Room 4 5:00-6:00 The Pitching Hour—Michael Polis (WildBrain Studios, YoGabbaGabba), Jermaine Turner (director, Disney/ABC Cable Networks Group), Jill Sanford (manager, original series, Disney Television Animation), Sam Humphries (MySpace Comics), Paula Gould (PEG PR), Jeremy Love (writer/producer, Gettosake Studios), and moderator Dan Evans (freelance development exec) will take an idea from conception through production for various media. This process will include creating a pitch document, obtaining agents, and getting a pitch meeting. The panelists will explain, through hypothetical example and humorous stories, the process that new creators should adapt to make their way into the Hollywood creative battleground. Knowing that each project is unique, there will be a Q&A to allow the audience to really hone in on the solutions to obstacles they may encounter. Also on hand will be IP lawyer Brendan McFeely to give creators insight on protecting their ideas as they navigate Hollywood! Room 5AB 5:00-6:00 Spotlight on Floyd Norman—Comic-Con special guest Floyd Norman talks about his long and varied career in feature film and television animation. His work includes Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pixar’s Toy Story 2 and Monsters Inc., and many more fan favorites. Moderated by cartoonist and animation artist Scott Shaw! Room 7AB 5:00-6:00 Looking at Our World: Eye on the Past—Authors discuss how they use and abuse history to inform their fictional stories. Panelists include Connie Willis (Passage), Jacqueline Carey (Kushiel’s Legacy), Max Allan Collins (Deadly Beloved), Peter David (Tigerheart), Naomi Novik (Victory of Eagles), and Jess Winfield (My Name Is Will: A Novel of Sex, Drugs, and Shakespeare). Moderated by Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy. Room 8 5:00-6:00 Spotlight on Mike W. Barr—What would comics in the ’80s and ’90s have been without Camelot 3000, Batman and the Outsiders, The Maze Agency, and Mantra. The creator of those titles, Comic-Con special guest Mike W. Barr, will answer that question and pretty much any others, as well as what he’s up to nowadays. (Just don’t ask him what the “W.” stands for.) With a special guest moderator…maybe. Room 10 5:00-6:00 Comics Experience: How to Write a Pitch!—Hosted by Andy Schmidt (IDW senior editor, GI Joe, Star Trek), panelists Mark Waid (BOOM! Studios editor-in-chief, Flash, Kingdom Come), James Lucas Jones (Oni Press editor-in-chief), Rob Levin (Top Cow Entertainment editor-in-chief), Chris Gage (The Authority, Invincible Iron Man), C. B. Cebulski (Drain, Wonderlost, X-Men: Divided We Stand) and Nick Lowe (Marvel X-Men editor) offer tips on writing pitches, pitching verbally, and getting your pitch read! Want to write a comic? Don’t miss this panel! Questions from the audience welcome. Room 30CDE 5:00-6:00 The Third Annual Comics Podcasting Panel—The best of the best in comics podcasting returns to San Diego for the third annual discussion of comics podcasting and how it’s affected the comics media. Rick Remender (writer of Fear Agent, Punisher War Journal, The End League) moderates a no-holds-barred discussion with comics podcasters Bryan Deemer and Peter Rios (Comic Geek Speak), Charlito and Mr. Phil (Indie Spinner Rack), Joe Gonzalez and Jimmy Aquino (Comic News Insider), Josh Flanagan and Conor Kilpatrick (iFanboy), and John Mayo and Bob Bretall (Comic Book Page). Room 32AB 5:30-6:30 Action Figure Times Toymaker Q&A—Ever wanted to know why your favorite character figure was limited, or just what toy companies are thinking? How about the recent movement of toy licenses from one manufacturer to another? Or the effect of the rising costs of fuel on the manufacturing of figures on the market? Here’s your chance to ask the manufacturers (both big and small) about their favorite figures and statues. What questions have been burning in your mind? Come to Action Figure Times’ annual collectors’ panel to find out! Room 3 5:30-6:30 The Science Behind Science Fiction—Celebrate the world of science fiction when Jaime Paglia (writer and producer of Eureka) and Phil Plait (badastronomy.com) lead a panel discussion with Discover Magazine editors exploring when science becomes good science fiction. Join Jaime, Phil and other special guests for an exciting discussion followed by Q&A. Room 6B 5:30-6:30 Comics Arts Conference Workshop: Language Arts and Cross Curriculum Comics Seminar—Lisa Vizcarra (Carquinez Middle School) demonstrates the application of comics in the K-8 environment in Language Arts classes as well as across the curriculum. Using a step-by-step approach, she explains how comics—both published and student-created—can be used as pedagogical tools to explain plot, setting, and dialogue; to demonstrate the laws of physics; to learn the operation of new technology; and to develop skills in public speaking. Room 30AB 6:00-7:00 Dark Castle Entertainment—Launched by producer Joel Silver and director Robert Zemeckis, Dark Castle Entertainment was founded to create a unique brand of horror movies inspired by the works of filmmaker William Castle. Recently, Dark Castle entered into an arrangement with CIT Group Inc. to broaden Dark Castle into a full genre label that will include feature films (London-based crime thriller RocknRolla, directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Gerard Butler, scheduled to be released in October; Ninja Assassin directed by James McTeigue and starring Korean pop sensation Rain; and Whiteout, starring Kate Beckinsale), home video (The Hills Run Red starring Sophie Monk, William Sadler, and Tad Hilgenbrinck) and comic books (Ferryman by Marc Andreyko and Jonathan Wayshak). Hall H 5:45-6:45 Showtime: Dexter—Showtime presents exclusives from the set of the highly anticipated third season of Dexter. Moderator Kristin Dos Santos (E!) presides over this revealing interview and Q&A session with the top stars and executive producers of Dexter, featuring Michael C. Hall, Julie Benz, Clyde Phillips, and John Goldwyn, plus a special guest! Room 6CDEF 6:00-7:00 Life, Death, Life of Star Trek—You’ve heard a lot of hype about sci-fi’s first franchise lately, now it’s time to see what it’s all about and celebrate an illustrious 40 years of boldly going with this regular panel of unpaid, uncensored Treksperts, who pay homage to Trek’s past and future with some special surprises and exclusive audio-visual treats you’ll only see here. Daren Dochterman (ST: TMP Director’s Cut Special Edition), Robert Meyer Burnett (Free Enterprise), Jeff Bond (The Music of Star Trek), and moderator Mark A. Altman (Free Enterprise) talk Trek like no one else can…or will. Room 2 6:00-7:00 The Secret History of Manga in the U.S.—It’s been 30 years since the first manga was translated into English. From MixxZine to Raijin, from Astro Boy to OEL, join Jason Thompson (Manga: The Complete Guide) on a visual time machine full of dreamers, censors, antiwar activists, and other weirdness. Including ninja. Lots of ninja. Room 4 6:00-7:00 Spotlight on Frank Beddor—Comic-Con special guest Frank Beddor, author of the best-selling “Looking Glass Wars” series, and creator of the Hatter M graphic novel, talks about the creation of his books, gives the story behind the story, and presents concept art from a wide array of artists who have visualized his text: Ben Templesmith (30 Day of Night), Doug Chiang (Star Wars), and Stephan Martiniere (I, Robot). He’ll reveal the new online game The Card Soldier Wars, show a special effects trailer for The Looking Glass Wars movie, and discuss how each of these mediums connect and extend The Looking Glass Wars universe. Room 5AB 6:00-7:00 DC Nation—DC Senior VP/executive editor Dan DiDio hosts this gabfest with Keith Giffen (Reign in Hell, Ambush Bug: Year None), Geoff Johns (Action Comics, Green Lantern), Brad Meltzer (DCU: Last Will and Testament), and some of the top talent in the industry, talking and teasing upcoming stories! Come learn the secrets behind the most talked about events of the summer! Room 6A 6:00-7:00 Bill Plympton’s Idiots and Angels—Independent animator Bill Plympton (The Tune, Mutant Aliens) will screen the first 20 minutes of his just-completed animated feature Idiots and Angels, plus his new short, Hot Dog, the latest sequel to the Oscar-nominated Guard Dog. Join Bill for a look at his latest projects, plus a Q&A session to follow. Room 7AB 6:00-7:00 Devil’s Due Presents: Hack/Slash and Beyond!—Hollywood screenwriter Justin Marks (Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li) joins Hack/Slash creator Tim Seeley (Halloween: Nightdance) to talk about the new H/S film and his new DDP/Capcom comic book series Bionic Commando. Also featuring director Todd Lincoln, Hack/Slash Annual stars from The Suicide Girls, and a blockbuster surprise guest you won’t want to miss! Room 8 6:00-7:00 Random House Publishing—Staff from the Random House Publishing Group—including Betsy Mitchell (editor-in-chief, Del Rey), Dallas Middaugh (associate publisher, Del Rey Manga), Mutsumi Miyazaki (director of licensing and acquisitions, Del Rey Manga), Chris Schluep (senior editor, RHPG), and Tricia Narwani (editor, RHPG)—discuss upcoming titles from Del Rey, Del Rey Manga, Ballantine, and Villard Graphic Novels. Room 10 6:00-7:00 From Fan to Creator: Goal Setting for Creative Types—Which side of the convention table do you want to be on: artist or fan? And what’s keeping you from getting there? If you have an idea in your head that you’ve had trouble bringing into reality, you might benefit from this fun and practical goal-setting workshop, designed specifically for the Comic-Con crowd. Teacher and life purpose coach Douglas Neff will give you simple, proven techniques for achieving your most important goals. And this year, a surprise guest panel will fill your head with inspiration before you leave. Whether you want to write your own screenplay, draw your first comic, or shoot your independent film, you’re sure to get something useful from this informative and energizing workshop. Room 30CDE 6:00-7:00 The Comics Blogosphere—The blog explosion has opened up a new frontier for comics criticism. This lively (and inevitably bloggable) discussion features David Brothers (4thletter!), Jeff Lester (The Savage Critic(s)), Laura Hudson (Myriad Issues), Tim Robins (Mindless Ones) and moderator Douglas Wolk (Reading Comics). Room 32AB 6:30-7:30 So You Want to Do a Graphic Novel—Writer and publisher Larry Young assembles a team of writers and artists to unlock the secrets and unveil the mysteries of completing your own graphic novel. Panelists Adam Beechen (Final Crisis), Steven Grant (Two Guns), Kirsten Baldock (Smoke and Guns), Matt Silady (The Homeless Channel), and Manny Bello (Dugout) kibbitz, cajole, and inspire you. Room 3 6:30-7:30 Adventures in Game Development—Have you ever dreamed of making your own video game? Are you a writer with a great story? Is there a place in video games for a traditional artist? Or do you just want to get into the industry? Veteran designer Alex Jimenez (Battletanxs, Darkstalkers), artist David DeVries (The Monster Engine), and author Blake Hutchins (The Sword from the Sea) answer all your questions and take you inside the video game industry. Find out what it takes to break into this competitive but rewarding field. Attendees will also get a special sneak peek at the upcoming title Blueshift. Room 30AB 6:45-7:45 Robotech Industry Panel—Tommy Yune, director of Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles, covers the history of the animated series that introduced a generation to anime and discusses upcoming new releases in the wake of the announcement of the live-action feature film. Room 6B

Nighttime Programs

7:00-9:00 Comedy Central TV Funhouse with Robert Smigel—Robert Smigel (Saturday Night Live) and Dino Stamatopoulos (Morel Orel) reunite to discuss the most groundbreaking show to ever hit (and subsequently disappear) from basic cable. Join the guys to relive the glory of the best show you barely remember. Room 6CDEF 7:00-9:00 Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist—Get a look behind the mask of The Spirit creator in this feature-length documentary movie. With a triumphant world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, the production features the legendary writer/artist Will Eisner with Frank Miller, Stan Lee, Jules Feiffer, Jack Kirby, Kurt Vonnegut, and many others. Following this unique free movie screening, director/producer Andrew D. Cooke and writer/producer Jon B. Cooke will be available for a dynamic Q&A session. Room 7AB 7:15-8:15 Adventures in Anime—Quinton Flynn (Axel from Kingdom Hearts, Reno from Final Fantasy, Raiden from MGS) and Emmy winner Jeff Nimoy (director of Digimon, Naruto, Wolfwood from Trigun) talk about their careers and their adventures on tour, answer your questions, and sing their famous Yaoi Song from AdventuresInAnime.com! Room 6A 7:30-8:30 Geek Roundtable Live— Be a part of a live podcast with the guys from GeekRoundTable.com, the coolest geek podcast on the Internet. The guys will discuss the latest and hottest in comics, movies, television, DVDs, and games. Put your two cents in and get free prizes to boot, and maybe the guys will let you sit in the empty chair! Featuring Ned Cato Jr., Jesse Lopez, Chris Sturhann, Mary Sturhann, Matt Jeffery, Wesley Strawther, and Johann Joseph starring as himself. Room 10 8:00-8:30 Lionsgate and Marvel: Punisher: War Zone!—Producer Gale Anne Hurd (The Incredible Hulk) and stars Ray Stevenson (Rome) and Julie Benz (Rambo, Dexter) take you into the world of the Punisher for an exclusive first look. You won’t be prepared! Room 6B 8:30-9:00 Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures: Saw 5—Join director David Hackl, along with the filmmakers and cast for an exclusive first look at the latest terrifying installment of the most successful horror series in history! Room 6B 8:30-10:00 Star Wars Fan Film Awards—It’s the galaxy-spanning return of a Comic-Con favorite! The Star Wars Fan Film Awards come back to Ballroom 20 as the Thursday night big event. Ballroom 20 9:00-10:00 Repo! The Genetic Opera First Look—See what director Darren Lynn Bousman has been up to since directing the last three Saw movies: Repo! The Genetic Opera. Check out the phenomenon that is this Goth Rock musical with sneak peeks and the new trailer plus stories from Darren and the actors themselves, including Alexa Vega (Spy Kids), Bill Moseley (The Devil’s Rejects), and Ogre (the band Skinny Puppy), among others. Room 6B 9:00-12:00 10th Annual Superhero Kung-Fu Extravaganza —Martial Arts movie master Ric Meyers (Inside Kung-Fu) celebrates a decade’s worth of bringing you the funniest, fastest, and most amazing film clips by creating an anniversary show of the greatest kung-fu fights of all time, complete with surprise guest stars and freebies! If you attend only one “Extravaganza” in the next ten years, make this the one! Room 6CDEF 10:00-12:00 Warner Premiere and Warner Home Video: World Premiere of Lost Boys The Tribe—Prepare to sink your teeth into the long-awaited and highly anticipated next chapter of the cult phenomenon started by the 1987 cult classic, and be the first to see Lost Boys The Tribe before its July 29 DVD release at this special world premiere. More than 20 years in the making, Lost Boys The Tribe is an homage to the original 1987 cult hit and stars Corey Feldman as vampire hunter Edgar Frog, along with Tad Hilgenbrinck, Angus Sutherland, and Autumn Reeser, with appearances by Jamison Newlander and Corey Haim. Meet the cast and filmmakers as director P J Pesce and original Lost Boys star Corey Feldman are joined by Tad Hilgenbrinck, Angus Sutherland, and Autumn Reeser to answer questions and talk about the making of this new horror classic. Ballroom 20.

Venkman here - I know this is totally fake but I am rolling with the story as if it actually happened because its fun. Boy oh boy am I am so happy Warner Brothers turned Michael Bays ass down! He would have killed this awesome Batman series! It is crazy to think that he thinks he could make a better Batman film! He obviously thinks that because he would not have tried to submit his script and idea to Warner bros. Don't get me wrong the guy is a great action film director but he has no bone of story structure in his body. He makes fun and exciting mindless action films. You just can't do that with Batman... again! Here is the title page of the script. It comes from my.spill.com . I would have to say first off this Bay script is totally not real, but other web sites say that it really is real! Click on the link or the script title page to view some more pages from Michael Bays vision of 'The Dark Knight'. Can you guess where the movie starts off? The pentagon. Its got Michael bays name written all over it! Literally! In the end this actually could make a fun and ridiculous Michael bay movie.

Venkman here I love movies about the entertainment industry like 'The Player' and 'Swimming with Sharks'. I think this movie 'What Just Happened' is going to fit right in with those type of films. 'What Just Happened' is based on a book that is on my list of books I need to read. the book is by Art Linson here is a quick description:

In What Just Happened? we get to explore, at close range, finicky directors, clueless executives, shameless marketers, famous actors, battered screenwriters, and hapless producers crossing paths in such calamitous ways that it's a miracle these films get made at all. Linson is the ideal guide through this heavily land-mined, high-stakes industry, pausing for a moment here or there to explain some aspect or pitfall of the business, to wax nostalgic about film days past, or to serve up a compelling inside Hollywood tale of woe. Whether you love the movies or not, you won't be able to resist the stories behind them.

I think this movie is going to be great! It got Robert De Niro and Bruce Willis and I am sure there will be many other cameos. It is also directed by Berry Levinson. Check out the Red band film clip below!    

Venkman here and I gotta be honest, I really want this Wolverine movie to be just as good as Iron Man and Hulk but I can tell you right now that it wont. First of all Marvel has no creative control with this 'Wolverine: Origins' film. Second of all The origin story of Wolverine is an extremely dark story and Wolverine is a very violent person. It should be darker than the upcoming 'The Dark Knight' Batman movie, but it wont be. I love Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and think he is a great choice for the role, but I don't think the fans are going to get to see the character Wolverine fully realized in this film. I am actually more excited for the Hulk Vs. Wolverine movie from Marvel Animation. Here is the new promo picture that was released by Empire magazine!

Venkman Here and today Warner Bros. has released 4 new promo pictures from the new 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' movie! The time is growing near when we will once again be able to join Harry Potter in his adventures at Hogwarts school of magic. I really can wait to see this new Potter movie, I think it will end up being the best of the series so far. Check out the pics below to get a good look at what we can expect.

What do you want me to say! It's not my fault 'The Dark Knight' is all over the internet and that it is going to be such an amazing movie! If you have not already seen this we have the first 6 minutes of the new 'Batman:The Dark Knight' movie. I will let you know know that this is terrible quality, but its all we got until the movie itself hits theaters in the next couple of weeks! The first 6 minutes is great! Your gonna love this clip. So here we go.

Venkman here with yet another trailer for 'The Dark Knight'! This one comes from Wizard World. I don't think I would really call this a film trailer. It is more like a bunch of random scenes cut together with some music just to show you some visuals. there are a few things in this little preview clip that I have not seen yet. It is by far not the best trailer put together for this movie, but it does its job. Go ahead and check it out below!

Venkman here with some news about what Joss Whedon is up to these days regarding his film work. I have always liked the stuff that Joss has put together 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and 'Firefly' were a couple of fantastic TV shows. I really liked his movie 'Serenity' and it would have been cool to see what he could have done with a bigger budget, but even without the big budget the movie was awesome! Joss Whedon talk with MTV about his upcoming film project 'Into the Woods' this is the first time I had heard he was working on a movie like this but here are a few details for you:

"Whedon moved on to a new movie project, which he co-wrote with "Buffy" alum and "Cloverfield" scribe Drew Goddard. "It's genius, it's funny," Goddard said. "It's got a harder and darker edge, but it's also got classic Whedon qualities. It'll rip your heart out and be heartfelt at the same time... There's a reason the title is so straightforward," Goddard teased. "It's its own sub-genre, the cabin in the woods, and this is sort of our take on it. It's fresh and new." Whedon, who said the pair are close to going out with the project, is also wearing a producer's hat on this one; he said doing double duty is "very hard." "Writing is like a cave," he explained. "You have to go very far down, and you have to have time to get down there and come back up. But producing, that means you're involved with everything. Right now, that has more to do with very preliminary stuff, budgeting and whatnot, but it's still another thing on the list that keeps you having enough time to get into your artistic head." Don't worry, Goddard assures us, it'll be worth the wait. "That man is a genre all to himself," he said. "He's comedy, horror, drama, all at once, and you'll never be able to classify it as one thing. What do you call it? At the end of the day, it's Joss."

So it looks like they are going to reinvent the old cabin in the woods genre. Well I gotta say I wasn't expecting that. I should be interesting to see what comes out of all this. They say it is "fresh and new" but what does that really mean? I can go to a restaurant and order the same meal everytime I go out to eat, and everytime that same order comes out "fresh and new" the thing is its the same meal everytime. I guess what I'm trying to say is we are going to get another movie about a cabin in the woods, but this time it may have a different kind of seasoning. I have always enjoyed Joss Whedon's projects so its something to look forward to. If nothing else it will be a fun little horror movie that takes place at a cabin in the woods, and it will "rip your heart out and be heartfelt at the same time..." Hmmm, thats sounds like some sadistic girlfirend trying to break up with you in a nice way.

If you live is Chicago or New York it is time to stand up what you really believe in. You have to go to http://citizensforbatman.org/ where you will see the countdown to July 8th 9pm in Chicago and 10pm in New York. Here are two threads over at superherohype.com that are discussing where all fans of the Batman are to meet up. Click here for One and Here for another. For those of us that don't live in either of these areas don't worry there will be a live braodcast at the citizens for Batman website posted above.

Sometimes, you have to take a stand. You have to fight for respect. You have to let the entire world know you're here. On July 8th, nobody will be able to ignore us. Gather at the above coordinates at the appointed time, and help us take a stand in support of Batman! If you can't join us on the ground, we'll be providing a way for you to watch what goes down, live on this website. Defend Gotham! Defend Batman!

 I wonder whats going to happen?

Venkman here with some interesting news regarding a Sequel to 'Pinapple Express'. The first movie hasn't even come out yet and apparently people are already interested in making a second one! I honestly think that 'Pinapple Express' is going to the best comedy of the summer. I love the trailer that was released for the movie and I love the vibe that the film has. Seth Rogan had an interview with the guys over at moviehole.net and talked about 'The Green Hornet' and a few other things. but here is what Seth had to say about 'Pinapple Express 2':

"They're been wanting us to do a sequel to Superbad for so long - but we've held off. We eventually said No. But this one, it's not a precious coming-of-age story like Superbad, it's a weed action-movie and if it did well, and they gave us like $50 million dollars (as opposed to the $26M we got for this one) we could benefit from that."

I am actually glad they said no to Superbad 2. I think that movie is funny as hell but it is a film that needs to stand alone. You know I could benefit from $50 million dollars too. After I see 'The Dark Knight' in IMAX 'Pineapple Express' is the next film on my "I can't wait to see list".

Venkman here with the awesome brand new Hulk Vs. Wolverine Animated trailer from Marvel Animation! I have been buzzing about this film for awhile now and it is something I am really excited about and something we should all be excited about because it is going to kick some serious ass! This is a fight us fan boys have been waiting to see brought to life for years! and now we will finally get to see this brutal battle of awesomeness!

HULK VS WOLVERINE- This dark, violent, smash and slash story was first told in issue 181 of THE INCREDIBLE HULK and the rematches have continued to thrill comic fans ever since. Now Marvel and Lionsgate takes the best of those famous comic book battles and merges them into one heart pounding 33-minute story. We'll have more on Hulk VS Thor in the coming months but here's a brief description of Hulk VS Wolverine: "ALBERTA, Canada. Over the past week, The INCREDIBLE HULK has been tearing a line across the Canadian wilderness, leaving a swathe of destruction in his wake. He has to be stopped, and there's only one man up to the job. He's the best at what he does, but what he does isn't very nice. He's WOLVERINE, an elite agent of Canada's top secret Department H, and he's been put on Hulk's trail with a single objective: stop the Green Goliath... at all costs. Hulk and Wolverine are about to enter the fiercest battle of their lives. And they have no idea that there are a few unpleasant surprises waiting for them on the other side."

A few unpleasant surprises huh? I wonder what that could? If they are going to follow what the comic books have set up, I can only imagine what it could be! It seems there is going to be more to this story than just Hulk and Wolverine tearing each other apart! I can't wait! Oh so check this out! Added Geek bonus! If you are going to Comic Con this year you will be able to watch the whole damn movie before it's released in January of 2009! You will also get a chance to meet Producer and Supervising Director Frank Paur, Producer and Co-writier Craig Kyle, and Co-writer Christopher Yost. The screening will take place on Thursday July 24th at 4:15 in Hall H so be there or your going to have to wait for the DVD! I think we are all going to be in for a amazing and violent treat with Hulk Vs. Wolverine. The animation also looks amazing! Check out the trailer below and you'll see!

So my question is why are most critics hating on Hancock? It's not the best movie of the summer for sure, but it isn't really all that bad either. Its like in the movie, everyone hates Hancock! Sure Hancock doesn't have that Superhero Finesse everyone wants, but in the end he ends up getting the job done regardless. This goes for the movie as well. It delivers to the audience what it is meant to deliver, which is a good time at the movies. Hancock is a fun Will Smith popcorn action flick. What did you expect, an academy award winner? In a world where comic book / Superhero movies reign supreme, Hancock is an original idea that is not based on a comic book or graphic Novel currently in print. Sure it takes on allot of the elements but Hancock is an original kind of superhero that we have not seen on the big screen. A guy with super powers that is an asshole and a drunk who needs to find himself. Our own R.P. McMurphy recently wrote a review that pretty much summarizes the first part of the movie. You can read that review here. I am going to focus more on what wasn't said and if you haven't seen the movie There are going to be major spoilers in this review. After Hancock (Will Smith) saves a struggling PR rep name Ray (Jason Bateman). Ray takes him under his wing to try and change Hancock into the Superhero everyone wants to see. The first time Rays wife Mary (Charlize Theron) meets Hancock there are strange looks from her. It is obvious she knows something, but what? There is a twist in the movie I really didn't see coming and I am so happy that this twist was not revealed through the movies marketing campaign because it left the audience with a surprise. I though that was great. I knew something was up but I didn't know Mary was going to destructively throw Hancock through the kitchen wall when he tried to kiss her! That's right people I ruined the twist but I did warn you. Mary is a 3000 year old superhero that was Hancock's wife back in the day before he lost his memory. I thought this was a great little twist! Oh! And if you ever wondered what it would look like to see someone's head shoved up another person's ass you finally get to see it in this film, and its pretty disturbing. I thought Hancock's story was pretty solid. There are a few holes and some things that are unexplained but it doesn't ruin the movie experience. I also thought the movie had a good amount of humor in it. There are some great one-liners delivered by Will Smith in classic Will Smith funny style. The special effects looked a bit on the cheap side but you don't really care because I think the story is enough to keep the audience interested. There was no problem with the acting everyone played their parts really well. Will Smith brought his A game, so did Charlize Theron. I found it funny though that through the first part of the film the character Mary was a very normal beautiful looking housewife, then once we found out she was a superhero she all of a sudden started to sport the dark eye liner, new clothes, hair do, and looked slightly hotter than she used to be. Jason Bateman was great in this film though, and I thought he was the best actor in the movie. Like I said this is not the best movie of the summer, but it is much better than a lot of crap that is being released. It's also not the best superhero ever made. It isn't the worst either. I don't think it is a waste of your money or time to see this movie. There are obviously people out there that won't like it. If you like a good action packed, funny, movie, starring Will Smith you can't loose. What ever you decide to see remember to enjoy your time at the movies! -Dr. Venkman  

Venkman here with the new Watchman Video Journal! This little clip is very cool! It has the comic book artist Dave Gibbons talking about the comparison of the Watchman comic book to the film. Everything he has to say is positive. He talks about everything from set design to color. It seems Zack Snyder has packed in every little detail into this movie. It seems that nothing from the comic was overlooked, which is awesome! This vdeo comes from UGO.com. This movie is going to be great!

Original Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons takes you on a walking tour through the production design of Zack Snyder's film adaptation. Keep your eyes peeled for a living, breathing Rorschach!

Click on the pic below to watch the new Watchman Video Journal!

Venkman here with a little info from Zack Snyder the Director of the movie 'Watchman'. I love the look of the picture above! Crave Online caught up with him at the Saturn Awards and Zack had a lot to talk about. This is a movie I am really looking forward to. 'Watchman' is an incredible graphic novel one of the best that has ever been written. I can't explain how excited I am to see this story on the big screen. As youknow Zack is a fan boy and fellow geek as well and I have no doubt he is putting together a movie that will be just as good as the comic. Here are a few things Zack had to say:

CraveOnline: So where exactly are you in Watchmen? Zack Snyder: Director's cut stage. Like I showed a cut to the studio and I'm working on it now. CraveOnline: How long is it? Zack Snyder: Yeah, it was three hours.

Holy cow! A three hour movie! He obviously pack as much of the book as he could into this thing. The studio is obviously going to make him cut that down, I only hope he can do it and still retain the momentum of the story. 

CraveOnline: Do you get attached to every minute of the three hour cut?

Zack Snyder: It’s impossible. That's the balancing act for me is you want the movie as tight as possible, I don't know why, I guess so people can enjoy it. For me the hardest part is when is it not Watchmen anymore? I don't think that's a danger but it's a thing that I'm trying to be the gatekeeper of while other forces conspire to say, "No, length, length, length, playability." Whatever the hell that means.

CraveOnline: Can we be sure that at least the DVD will have that full three hour cut?

Zack Snyder: Yeah, that's my hope. Who knows what they do to me but the hope is to do this crazy epic DVD that's a freakshow. That seems like a no brainer to me. A freakshow of length and extras and fan fetish.

 

CraveOnline: Isn't it already fan fetish?

Zack Snyder: Absolutely. It's the king of fan fetish. You know, it's funny because I've lost perspective on that now because to me, the honest truth is I geek out on little stuff now as much as anybody. People will go, "Oh, we've got to cut. You don't need that shot of the Hollis Mason Garage sign." And I'm like, "What are you talking about? Of course you do. Are you crazy? How will people enjoy the movie without sh*t like that?" It's hard for me and I think it's probably good because we're going to end up with that stuff in the movie.

So it looks like the hard core Watchman fans may get the 3:30 hour version on DVD which is awesome! That why DVD was invented isn't it? And it looks like we are going to get to see some great footage at Comic-Con!

CraveOnline: Are you nervous to present something at Comic Con?

Zack Snyder: No, I'm excited. I feel like Comic Con for me is like, when you make the movie, everyone who makes the movie loves the movie. I've never been around so many people that just took the book. It's like a yearbook. At the end of the shoot, we all would sign each other's Watchmen copies. We had Dave Gibbons in there too and he would draw on our books and it was just super cool. And so then you come back from that experience and you go to the studio and the studio's cool, don't get me wrong, but they don't love it like we do, right? It's like just a movie. Like, "Oh, we have this movie Watchmen that's f*ckin' long. What are all these superheroes? They look crazy." So you have that experience so for me right now, I'm in the middle of that. So for me to go to Comic Con is to get a chance to go back to people that love it.

He sounds very confident in what he has put together so far. Thats a great sign! This is a pretty cool article Crave Online put up. Zack also talks about the effects, Dr. Manhattan, and putting a trailer together so check it out by Clicking Here. This is going to be one amazing film and I can't wait to see what they plan on showing at Comic-Con!  

Here we have the new cover for the July 15th issue of Entertainment Weekly and they have already released the story that goes along with this this awesome looking cover. The story pretty much revolves around Heath Ledger and his performance as The Joker. From what I have seen from the trailers and clips his performance looks amazing. This is a great article that you definitely need to take the time to read! There are a few things from the EW article I just had to share with you all. Here are the thoughts from the cast and crew regarding Heath Ledger and his performance.

Director Christopher Nolan calls Ledger's acting in the film ''fearless.'' Christian Bale, the Caped Crusader himself, says it's ''intense - a superb performance.'' Morgan Freeman, who plays inventor Lucius Fox... ''extraordinary.''

''The guy had serious nuts,'' Nolan says. ''What I needed was someone who wouldn't be afraid of the comparison with Jack Nicholson. And then I saw Heath's incredible performance in Brokeback Mountain. Such a lack of vanity. This was an actor who wasn't afraid to bury himself in his character - to a massive extent.'' ''He tried to articulate to me what he was doing with his voice, but it was sometimes hard to understand,'' Nolan confesses. ''He talked about ventriloquist dummies, the way their mouths moved, the way their voices wouldn't appear to come out of them. He said he wanted the voice to have a mocking quality, a sort of disconnectedness.'' Ledger also gave plenty of thought to the makeup that would be splattered across his face throughout the film. ''He started applying the makeup himself - just to see what it would look like if he put it on with his own hands,'' Nolan says. ''We talked about how streaking the paint could get across the idea of corruption, of decay.''

''It was the scene after we capture the Joker and he's in a holding pen, sitting with his back against the bars,'' Oldman says. ''And Heath is sort of looking at me, kind of under his brow, and then he just starts clapping. I remember going over to him between takes and saying, 'You know, you remind me of Alex from A Clockwork Orange.' And Heath said, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah. Funnily enough, I was just watching that movie in my trailer.'''

''Heath got the same kick out of acting that I do,'' Bale says. ''He enjoyed the sort of crazy immersion of acting. He took it incredibly seriously but simultaneously recognized how ridiculous it all is.'' Oldman got a similar impression. ''I know there are these rumors out there that playing the Joker drove him to his grave,'' he says. ''But I never saw anything of that. He was always on time. He knew his part backwards and forwards. I just thought he was a really sweet kid.''

Look at where Heath drew his inspiration from! Those freaky ass evil ventriloquist dummies, and that crazy good evil movie 'A Clockwork Orange'! It makes sense, because I can really see those things in his performance that have been released. Then there is this cool little insight that Michael Cain gives on the background of his character Alfred!

''I always make up my own backstories for my characters,'' says Michael Caine. ''Nobody cares but me, but I do it anyway. And my backstory for Alfred was that he was with the Special Infantry Service - sort of like the Navy SEALs - during World War II. But he got injured. So in order to stay in the service, he took a job in the officers' mess as a barman. And that's where [Bruce Wayne's dad] found him. That's why the accent I use for Alfred is that of an army sergeant. You see, you're not dealing with an ordinary butler here...''

He thinks nobody cares!? I love that backstory! Who wouldn't want to know that little nugget of information? That is great! This was just a taste of what the EW article talks about. But from what everyone is saying it looks like Heath Ledgers performance is going to be his best ever. There is already a lot of Oscar buzz about it. I can't wait to see this movie! I have already got my tickets and I am ready to go! -Dr. Venkaman