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Tag Archives: #Image Comics
The Walking Dead Showrunner GLEN MAZZARA Reveals Season Three & Four Details
source: http://www.dailyblam.com/news/2012/03/20/interview-the-walking-dead-showrunner-glen-mazzara-reveals-season-3-details-more
Spoiler Warning: Glen Mazzara, showrunner for AMC’s The Walking Dead revealed some vital information in regards to the upcoming season of the show and mentioned that he sees the upcoming Prison arc lasting for both seasons three and four. Plus, he offers comments on pacing complaints, character evolutions/intros, the TV series catching up to the source material and more.
The Walking Dead tells the story of the months and years after a zombie apocalypse, following a group of survivors who travel in search of a safe and secure home. The series goes on to explore the challenges of life in a world overrun by walkers, where the interpersonal conflicts often present a greater danger than anything else and over time, the characters grow willing to do almost anything to survive.
As next season of The Walking Dead gears up for shooting its 16 episode order this May, fans should prepare themselves to visit the next safe haven that comic readers know all too well. During a recent round table interview, Glen Mazzara mentioned that the aforementioned Prison arc will last all of the third season until the end of season four.
“I think that a lot of people felt the farm was claustrophobic and we don’t want the prison to be that way,” said Mazzara. “The prison arc is really the heart of Robert Kirkman’s work with The Walking Dead.”
He went on to say that he plans to move closer to the source material in some aspects, but that there will of course be deviations along the way. Perhaps the largest deviation in season two was the surprise exit of Dale and therefore the lost opportunity to explore his storylines moving forward. In regards to Dale and Andrea’s love relationship, Mazzara said the writers didn’t feel the need to pursue it at all. “I don’t feel the Dale/Andrea storyline is a loss. It was never really on the table.”
One of the more intriguing comic book storylines involves Dale and group of cannibal hunters, and that will apparently live on through a different character in the TV series. “Anybody can be cannibalized, so we still have that story in the pocket.” As new characters like Michonne and the villainous Governor are introduced, I asked Mazzara if the zombies will ever take a backseat for an eventual human threat and conflict.
“Zombies will never take a backseat. We will introduce a significant human threat but the zombies are fully integrated into this world and are part of the landscape. There could be times with no zombie action but we feel we don’t need to have a 1000 zombies on the show either.”
Mazzara also confirmed that viewers can expect more ‘hero zombies’ in season three, much like the one that finished Dale off and proving Mazzara’s “quality over quantity” theory in regards to the undead. I also asked if he feels the show will catch up to the source material now that the ratings have shown continued and growing success. “Maybe we will catch up eventually; I know that Robert has no plans to end the comic.”
One of the common complaints Mazzara and the Walking Dead team have faced is purported pacing issues, which many felt caused the show to run slower in the first half before picking up later on in the season. When asked if any viewer input had an impact on this pacing change Mazzara replied, “No. My inclination was always to ramp it up after the Sophia arc and we were already so well into production that would have been impossible anyway.” Another question was asked if Mazzara’s comment of the final three episodes being a benchmark for the pacing of season three was a stab at Frank Darabont’s earlier work in which he vacated the series as showrunner after the Sophia arc. “Not at all. Frank actually wondered earlier on if we had pacing issues at the beginning himself.”
In regards to the characters, Mazzara revealed that Lori’s reaction of anger upon hearing news of Rick murdering Shane was one of shock and disgust in herself. This scene puzzled some fans when Lori implied for Rick to “deal with” Shane earlier in the season. “Lori did not ask Rick to kill Shane. She’s a confused control freak. She’s horrified at Rick and herself for her own role in this and is dealing with self hatred. She is appropriately f***ed up.”
Another character that viewers wanted to see more from was T-Dog, who many felt was underutilized. Mazzara said he was surprised by this reaction and compared T-Dog to another character by the name of Ronnie from Mazzara’s writing days on The Shield. He did however admit that they might have went a bit far in ignoring him to some degree saying, “He has been off to the side and forgotten so we’re going to correct this now that he’s survived the finale and develop him from being a background character in significant ways.”
As for new characters, he went on to confirm the sword-wielding Michonne (Danai Gurira) will have a vital role and said that, although her surprise entrance in season two was very “theatrical”, he does want to ground that character and make her real and gritty. The Governor, played by David Morrissey, is a good friend of Andrew Lincoln (who plays Rick) in real life. Mazzara mentioned that although he was not familiar with Morrissey’s work, Lincoln’s praise along with Morrissey’s audition were perfect. The actor understood that the Governor’s essence is that of a true villain.
Other interesting notes include
- Mazzara confirmed fan favorite Merle (Michael Rooker) is “on the horizon” for season three.
- Greg Nicotero will shoot webisodes based on different characters sometime next month.
- Horror novelist Stephen King will not direct an episode of the series as he was Darabont’s connection.
- The bar shoot-out in the episode ‘Triggerfinger’ was inspired by a similar scene from HBO’s The Wire.
- A writer from HBO’s The Sopranos has been added to the TWD team.
- Security has been ramped up significantly to prevent leaks, which were a huge plague for season two.
- Scripts for season three are being written simultaneously in a style that Frank Darabont introduced that he learned while working with George Lucas. Mazzara will write the third season premiere.
- Despite the prison arc showcasing some of the darkest aspects of the series, Mazzara confirmed that there’s“no place they won’t go” in those terms although they may utilize off-screen effects in some situations.
- Mazzara’s friend Kurt Sutter (creator of Sons of Anarchy) will likely have a zombie cameo next season while Mazzara plays a dead biker on SOA to seal the deal. “I love Kurt, so I might take him up on that offer.”
Big Hits for this week
Winter Soldier #3
Written by Ed Brubaker
Art by Butch Guice, Stefano Gaudiano, Brian Thies, Jordie Bellaire and Bettie Breitweiser
Letters by Joe Caramagna
Published by Marvel Comics
Review by George Marston
‘Rama Rating: 8 out of 10
Winter Soldier is turning out to be the sleeper hit of 2012, if you’ll pardon the pun. For all the nonsense surrounding its launch, and the circumstances of Bucky’s return to the perplexing mantle of the “Winter Soldier,” the book itself has turned out to be an excitingly edgy take on superhero spies. I admit, the first issue felt a little strange; Butch Guice’s almost Sienkiewicz style brush inking created a moody atmosphere, but didn’t really sell the story. Now, the work is starting to streamline, and combined with Ed Brubaker’s hard-boiled script, and a hearty helping of super science and classic Marvel madness, Winter Solider is beginning to ramp up quite nicely. This issue sees the next logical step in the war against Lucia von Bardas’s war against Dr. Doom, as she activates her Doom-Bot, and Winter Soldier enlists the help of Doom himself in preventing an international incident. There’s a lot of Marvel history flying around these pages, but much to Ed Brubaker’s credit, he doesn’t let the story get bogged down by the continuity, instead providing just enough background for a new reader to appraise himself of the status quo as the players enter the field. It’s cool to see characters like Red Ghost and his Super-Apes used this way, as scheming ex-Soviet super agents instead of almost laughable lackeys and fodder for clobberin’ time. Honestly, perhaps the biggest strength of this title right now is its use of Marvel’s history to secure its place in the canon, while still occupying a niche that has been unfilled for too long.
Butch Guice is starting to find his feet a little more on this title, achieving a better balance of storytelling and style than in previous issues. There’s still plenty of Guice’s crisp, flighty brushwork, but it takes a bit of a backseat to the more hard cut, almost choppy lines provided by co-inkers Stefano Gaudiano, and Brian Thies. Guice’s Black Widow is pure Modesty Blaise, and his Winter Soldier is all John Wayne, resulting in a thrilling blend of stylish ’60’s style spy fiction and over the top superhero grit. Bettie Breitweiser and Jordie Bellaire are perhaps the unsung hero of this book, though, as the title almost wouldn’t work without their deep, moody palette.
I worry that a lot of people have avoided this title over their frustration with Marvel’s rampant bait-and-switch style of storytelling that lead to the launch of this series, and while I won’t say the false nature of the story that lead to this title was worth it, I will say that Winter Soldier is a much needed and well-deserving book that doesn’t suffer from its inauspicious origins. There’s a corner of the Marvel Universe for this type of super spy adventure, and Winter Soldier occupies it as well as any title in recent years.
The Manhattan Projects #1
Written by Jonathan Hickman
Art by Nick Pitarra and Cris Peter
Lettered by Rus Wooton
Published by Image Comics
Review by Edward Kaye
‘Rama Rating: 9 out of 10
To say that Jonathan Hickman has an active imagination, would be an understatement. It seems like everything he writes has a ridiculously high-concept premise that ends up completely taking readers by surprise with its originality. He even manages to bring this unique talent to his Marvel work, putting original twists on classic characters and tales. The Manhattan Projects is no exception to this rule – the series is an alternative history story that asks the question “What if the research and development department created to produce the first atomic bomb was a front for a series of other, more unusual, programs?”
It’s certainly an intriguing premise, and puts an interesting conspiratorial slant on key historical events of the 20th century. In this first issue, we are introduced to a fictionalized version of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and are told his life story through a series of flashbacks, which reveal that in this history he is actually a twin. We also follow Oppenheimer on his first day through the Manhattan Project facility, witnessing all manner of fantastic technology and bizarre invention, as well as an attack on the labs by Japanese ninja robots (yes, you read that right).
As first issues go, this one is brilliantly executed, really grabbing the reader’s attention from the first page, and not letting let go until the very last, leaving us with a clever twist ending that will have readers desperate to find out more. The story is very well paced, and Hickman spends just the right amount of time on each of the story elements, running the two threads in parallel until they come together at the climax. The story is told through a combination of dialogue, narration, and what look to be entries from an historical document that reveals the truth behind events. Hickman’s script is very impressive, with some engaging dialogue, and some highly convincing technical jargon – as a scientist myself, I could almost believe all these high-tech gadgets that he’s invented could actually exist. Hickman’s character work is also top-notch, and while he obviously has to tread carefully when dealing with actual historical figures, he manages to find an angle whereby he is able to play around a bit what we know about these people.
This series finds Hickman once again working with Nick Pitarra, with whom he collaborated on last year’s Red Wing miniseries. Pitarra’s linework on this issue has a very clean and open look to it, with some cartoonish elements that remind me somewhat of the style employed by Frank Quitely. Pitarra draws some amazingly well composed scenes in the issue, awash with intricate detail, and utilizing a number of interesting viewpoints from which to show the action. He has a slightly exaggerated sense of anatomy, which works to help develop the characters – with Oppenheimer being an spindly legged, gaunt scientist, and the military general being a bulky behemoth of a man, with a puffy face that looks ready to shout orders. With his inking he mostly just adds definition to his pencils, and doesn’t do a lot of filling blacks, shading, or hatching, which adds to the clean and light feel that the art has. He does add a number of interesting finishes though, which gives the final art a very textured look, which is what I think generates the Quitely-esque feel it has to it.
Cris Peter is the book’s colorist, and does a great job putting the final touches on the artwork. He utilizes a vibrant pallet that works to enhance the feeling of adventure that the story has. Also impressive is the way in which he colors the flashback pages, with the story of Robert Oppenheimer being colored in shades of blue, and that of his twin brother being colored in shades of red. This helps the reader follow the narrative, and generates a highly impressive effect when the two stories blend together at the climax.
Also worth noting is the overall presentation of the book. It has a very smart design aesthetic about it, with a trade dress cover, chapter title pages, and quotes presented throughout. It reminds me of the look of several of Hickman’s previous creator-owned ventures, so I imagine he had a hand in this design himself.
The Manhattan Projects #1 is a thrilling series debut, packed with alternate history, conspiracy theories, brutal slaughter, ninja robots, and super science. You’re going to want to jump on this one early, because pretty soon everyone will be talking about it.
Fairest #1
Written by Bill Willingham
Art by Phil Jimenez, Andy Lanning and Andrew Dalhouse
Lettering by Todd Klein
Published by Vertigo
Review by David Pepose
‘Rama Rating: 3 out of 10
I wanted to like this book. I really did. Fables has been a smart concept from Bill Willingham and Vertigo ever since the first issue, but it’s easy to look at it through rose-colored glasses when you read it at the beginning, in trade format, no less. So it’s sad to see Willingham’s latest spinoff, Fairest, struggle out of the gate like this. Lacking that sort of strong, cross-genre high concept that the original Fables or Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love possessed, there’s an awful lot of slow setup to this opening issue that doesn’t yield much in the way of big results.
In many ways, that lack of enthusiasm comes from a surprising simplicity on Willingham’s part — this is the most straightforward narrative I’ve seen in his “Fablesverse,” as we follow Ali Baba, the Prince of Thieves, as he teams up with a bottle imp to try to find treasures undreamed of by man. Of course, things get a little bit complicated when not one, but two sleeping princesses get thrown into the picture. The problem? That’s about the only wrinkle this story gets — on a conceptual level, this first issue doesn’t grab you with any sort of big question or investment. Perhaps this will read differently in a trade, but as far as first issues go, not enough happens to justify a return trip.
Yet lightness of plot can often become an asset, if the characters are likable and well-developed. Unfortunately, Willingham hasn’t won us over with these players. Ali comes off as bland and stilted, while his snarky imp sidekick Jonah just feels tired right out of the gate, with his over-the-top “American” lingo, spouting off immediately dated references spinning off “Touched By An Angel” and “Firefly.” Combine that with some jerky pacing from scene to scene and a talky, seemingly half-hearted attempt to talk about some of the previous invasion-based Fables storylines, and you have a missed opportunity. It’s a shame, because Ali Baba’s motivations are entirely self-aggrandizing, which could lead to some interesting dynamics… if he had some unexpected things to say or do to get our attention.
That all said, I can’t fault this book too much on the art. Phil Jimenez provides a very clean, muscular vision for Fairest, where the princesses are gorgeous and the rogues at their most roguish. While his layouts veer a little too often towards the oppressively horizontal, Jimenez knows how to distance his shots, whether he’s showing us the detailed wreckage of an entire city, or getting in close for what could be true love’s kiss. Colorist Andrew Dalhouse really elevates Jimenez’s work, providing a warm texture to what could have become some very flat artwork. Dalhouse pushes the envelope a bit with our twin princesses — one auburn like fire, the other blue as ice — and while sometimes the effect overpowers the page a bit, it’s still a memorable effect.
When Fables first began, it had the strength of a powerful high concept — namely, a fairy tale mystery — to keep readers invested long enough to discover Willingham’s clever riffs on long-standing characters. When they spun off Cinderella: From Fabletown With Love, Chris Roberson did one better, as we introduced a plucky, Buffy-esque heroine into a fairy tale spy narrative. Fairest doesn’t have that sort of exciting elevator pitch evident in the first issue, and it doesn’t have the enthralling characters to back it up, either. It may be a pretty book, but first impressions are more than skin deep — and in that regard, Fairest doesn’t quite live up to its name.
10 Easy Ways To Drive Comic Book Fans Insane
Comic Book fans are widely recognized as the most calm, forgiving group in all of fandom. As comfortable with patiently explaining convoluted continuity as they are excepting pretty much every storyline change involving their favorite character, no matter how minor… Okay, who are we kidding? Comic Book fans are a bunch of crazy, reactionary nutbags, and we count ourselves happy to be in their number. But if there is one thing fans of the four color funnies can agree on is that we all have to team up against NON-Comic Book Fans. Why? Because they say stuff like this:
10. “I read a comic once. I didn’t like it.”
Are you kidding? That’s like saying, “I ate food once. Not my thing.” Yet to the comic book fan trying to introduce their friend or family member to the medium they love too much is often like walking through a mine field, where one wrong move can lead a potential life-long reader to dismiss the entire span of titles due to one, tiny wrong choice. And all because you asked them to read a Care Bears comic, and they were more of a Snorks fan.
.9. “Comics? You Mean Like Garfield?”
Speaking of which, there’s nothing that quite gets our goat as confusing newspaper strips and comic books. Yes, they came from the same source, and you can like both… But the name “comics” doesn’t actually mean they’re all three panel goofs. To be fair, neither are all newspaper strips, or webcomics; but they’re a different approach to the medium, with a different structure, and different rules.
8. Calling Superheroes By The Wrong Name
It’s acceptable – and even downright cute – when my two year old daughter sees The Flash and shouts, “Batman!” When an adult does it? Not so much. Like the alphabet, numbers, and being able to use the toilet effectively, you should be able to suss out that the guy with the Spider on his chest isn’t frickin’ Superman. Mom.
7. Calling Superheroes By The Wrong Publisher
For some reason, this is far worse that just wholesale mixing up characters, as there’s a level of knowledge that comes with the territory. Don’t know who Batman is? Fine. Asking whether he’s on The Avengers? Unforgivable. (Thanks to @jimmy_boots on Twitter for the suggestion).
6. Asking Where To Buy Comics
Sure, we’ll give you that it isn’t the easiest in store buying experience all the time, but being clueless that comic book stores are even conceivable as a thing that exists is just non-fans creating a mental block of some sort. There’s a store that sells nothing but M&Ms for goodness sake… You don’t think there’s a shop that sells one of the world’s most popular forms of entertainment?
5. Making Top Ten Lists Of The Most Ridiculous Comic Book Characters
There’s a veeeery slight possibility this might be a personal pet peeve rather than a universal one, but every website in existence finds it necessary, upon discovering Marvel’s Squirrel Girl, or DC’s Matter Eater Lad, to write a list of “Top Ten Most Ridiculous Comic Book Characters!” much to the delight of their non-fan audience. And sure, maybe half of their list is ridiculous, but then we look at it and think, “But you didn’t read [INSERT ISSUE OF AVENGERS] when [INSERT CHARACTER] was totally awesome!” And then we cry. A lot.
4. “They’re for kids, right?”
NO THEY’RE NOT COMICS ARE A VERY MATURE FORM OF STORYTELLING WITH GREAT WORKS OF LITERATURE AND okay fine some of them are for kids. Sadly, due to the fact that some comics – in fact some of the best comics currently running – are actually for all-ages, and the “adult” comics are often aimed at man-children, this is an indefensible position. You know the statement isn’t true, but somehow, any piece of evidence brought up pokes major holes in your otherwise correct theory.
3. No, It’s NOT Based On A Graphic Novel
Once the public realized graphic novels were a thing, and they were the acceptable form of reading comics on the train or bus, it was all over. Now, every credit sequence says, “Based On The Graphic Novel By…” And every time the movie – or TV show – is actually based on a comic book series, and NOT a graphic novel, we wince. Particularly because sometimes there are things based on Graphic Novels. Confusing, right?
2. Biff! Bam! Pow! Stop Using That Headline!
Another press/media pet peeve, but every single headline in the mainstream press about comic books says, “Biff! Bam! Pow! Comics Aren’t For Kids Anymore!” Which of course defeats the premise in the headline itself. Other reasons this drives us up the wall? How about “Biff! Bam! Pow! Comics Don’t Use Biff, Bam, or Pow Anymore!” And how about the fact that we’ve seen the same headline surrounding comics for, oh say, a decade. Makes us think that maybe the papers are on to something.
1. Incorrectly Hyphenating Spiderman… We mean, Spider-Man
Nothing quite gets to the heart of the comic book fan as the teeny, tiny, minuscule mistake that exemplifies everything wrong with non-fans. And there is no mistake as big/small as mis-hyphenating Spider-Man. And we should know: we follow a lot of comic book professionals and fans on Twitter, and not a day goes by where someone doesn’t have a long, freak out rant about the hyphenation of everyone’s favorite wallcrawler. Er, wall-crawler. Cough.
San Diego Comic Con 2012/Comic Con International 2012
Comic Con International Logo
On a Wednesday afternoon, Comic Con International decides to send out an email to those who registered to their Comic Con Member ID a few months back. I registered in hopes of going to the most iconic and famous comic convention in the world. Comic Con International in San Diego, CA. I waited, with no response or update from Comic Con. Then, they sent out an email to anyone who wants to volunteer. I’m one of those people. I mean, who doesn’t want to go to a comic convention without having to pay. All ou have to do (For WonderCon anyway), is work 3 hours a day, and you get that day free. Anyway, I personally did not sleep at all. I waited for hours. By 7:55am PST, I was just clicking the “top secret” link Comic Con gave us with Member IDs. There was nothing, just that “404 – Not Found” error message over and over again. I though to myself, “it is just 7:55.”
I literally waiter for 7:59am to change into 8:00am. When it did, I just clicked it. It didn’t work! I snapped and thought I peed my pants. Then, I thought of going to their website and see if there was a solution. Fortunately, there was. Right beside a bunch of words was a big, can’t-miss, green button. I immediately clicked it and was redirected to the EPIC online registration website. When you get there, the site automatically gives you a number corresponding to your position within the line. You have to wait, like any other person, for hours in line. My number was “#16548.” I thought to myself that I won’t be able to make it and buy tickets. Since the site was refreshing every 120 seconds, my position was actually getting better every time. I started off at #16548, after 45 or so minutes, I was at #276. After the last refresh time, I am in front and now prepared to buy my tickets. Unfortunately, the 4 Day w/ Preview Night, 4 Day w/o Preview Night, and the Saturday Single Day ticket were all sold out and I had no chance of getting that Saturday ticket. All there were left were the Thursday, Friday,and Sunday Single Day tickets. I bought all three, finished my transactions, and went back for a second time to purchase tickets for my little brother. I bought him the Friday and Sunday tickets.
All in all, this was another experience I can share with friends and families. If I get the chance and someone doesn’t want their Saturday Single Day ticket, I would gladly buy it. See you at Comic Con.
Here’s that email they sent out:
“Dear **********************,
The wait is over! Comic-Con 2012 badges will go on sale at 8:00 a.m. PST on Saturday March 3rd, 2012. To access the EPIC online registration website, click the following link: http://www.comic-con.org/cci/badge_sales.php
Please note, this link will not be active until 8:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. If you click this link early, you will receive a “404 – NOT FOUND” error page and you will need to close your browser window and click the link again at or after 8:00 a.m. PST.
As a member of the Comic-Con Member ID preferred “E-List”, you are receiving first notification of the badge sales date/time and the exclusive link to registration. Although you are required to have a Member ID to purchase a badge, sharing the above link on a social networking site may decrease your chances of obtaining a badge. Although only those with a Member ID will be allowed to purchase a badge, the EPIC waiting room is open to the general public and if the link above is leaked online, we anticipate that several thousand people who did not sign-up for a Member ID will attempt to access the registration system erroneously. Additionally, should you choose to share the date or link online, it is likely to be picked up by numerous media outlets who will share this information with a larger audience.
We strongly recommend that you visit http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_reg.php and download the “Comic-Con 2012 Helpful Hints and Tips for Online Badge Registration” PDF. Reading this document may give you and advantage in obtaining a badge over others who choose not to read it.
The following is the Member ID information we have on file for you. Please use the Member ID and last name below to log in to the EPIC registration website. Even if your last name is incorrect below, you must login with this information to validate your ID. You will be able to correct your last name at a later date.
Member ID: **************
Last Name: **************
All of us at Comic-Con would like to sincerely thank you for your patience and understanding during the new Member ID registration and badge sales process. As you know because of limited space at the San Diego Convention Center we have had to cap attendance for the last few years. The new Member ID registration process is an attempt to streamline the process of purchasing a badge and hopefully reducing, to a great number, those who purchase badges only for resale. Thereby making more badges available to individuals.
We honestly wish we could accommodate each and every person who would like to attend the show, and while we are making strides to increase space by utilizing hotels and outdoor venues, the problem of attendance is one that all of us continue to work on constantly.
Thank you very much for your support of Comic-Con, and your love of comics and the popular arts.
If you are not planning to purchase a badge during online sales, please disregard this notice. This e-mail does not relate to professional, press, exhibitor, volunteer, or program participant registration.
Sincerely,
Comic-Con International”
WonderCon 2012 Exhibitors List
| Exhibit space at this show is limited. | List as of Feb 17, 2012 |
