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Tuesday, 5 October 2010
Monday, 4 October 2010
V For Vendetta - Another Iconic Book From the Watchmen Creator
While the WATCHMEN feature film adaptation is getting a hell of a lot of press for the original graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, we mustn't forget that there has been much more from the comics legend with the beard. Another of maverick author Alan Moore's fantastic pieces of graphic fiction, namely V For Vendetta, also came to our screens back in 2005.
Even though Moore disowned the project (As he has also done with Zack Snyder's WATCHMEN film), that film adaptation was remarkably faithful to the beloved and well respected source material, as well as being a very strong film in its own right.
Starring Natalie Portman as Evey and Hugo Weaving (as well as James Purefoy for some of the role) as the titular V, the film is as bleak and stark as the graphic novel it is based on, and the Watchowski Brothers had a relapse into directing things well, making the V For Vendetta movie something that is worth watching repeatedly. The dark, twisted vision of an England gone even or wrong is surprisingly believable, and a strong cast handles the script will dignity and respect.
The book's themes of revolution against a government that is woefully out of touch with its public is something that resonated with comics fans when the graphic novel was originally published a s strips and a limited series between 1982 and 1988.
The conviction of the masked, costumed V and the evolution of the Evey character are gripping reading, and the onscreen partnership of Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman served the characters well. Some fans of the graphic novel took issue with Portman's casting in the role, but she faces the role head on, giving us an Evey that is initially vulnerable, then eventually strong and defiant.
V for Vendetta and Watchmen are perfect companion pieces for one another. They represent an era when comic had started to get serious and started to garner a little respect as an art form in their own right. The books also work together as two aspects of the same world.
Where Watchmen is the dark underbelly of an alternate America, V For Vendetta is the story of an England that has grown tired of its ignorant government and makes the voice of the people heard with a display of unity and defiance that is both shocking and solemn.
A masterpiece of the graphic storytelling art form, with superb and atmospheric art by David Lloyd, V for Vendetta is an incredible, gripping and utterly compelling story that attempts to wake up the apathetic masses top the realities of a Big Brother state. In this regard, V for Vendetta is utterly peerless, and has more than earned its status as one of the greatest graphic novels ever published.
Andrew writes for the popular movie and pop culture memorabilia site STARSTORE and their many blogs as well as presenting their online show STARSTORECAST. He is also a globally published music journalist and SF author.
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Comic Book and Strip Service
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Toys From Summer Blockbusters 2008
Star Wars was the big bang as far as film merchandising and children's toys where concerned. The demand for the toys was so high that the manufacturers could not keep up with demand. For Christmas 1977, they sold boxed vouchers for various toys. The toys sold in the "Empty Box" campaign during December were not delivered until the following March. Now that's demand!
As a prime candidate for Star Wars toys I was amazed and overjoyed to be drip fed a succession of action figures, play sets, books, comics and even duvet covers over the following years. My imagination could run riot with these extra props to help me.
I still have some of my original figures and my own kids play with them and seem to enjoy them as much as did.
Now in my old age I am slightly more cynical about the summer blockbuster season and the ensuing avalanche of toys that it brings. Sometimes I wonder if the toys are created and shoehorned into the films rather than the reverse. Anyone who has had the misfortune to sit through a Bratz, Pokemon or Power Rangers film in the cinema will understand where I am coming from. A slow cultural death by poor dubbing, hack writing and flimsy plot lines.
My son's birthday is in mid June which makes him a prime target for the hard sell of the summer movie merchandising. I was heartened this year that two of the major films have decent characters to hang their toys upon. Both Iron Man and Indiana Jones have long histories and characters that should have a life beyond the end of August.
Both the films have gone for the marketing synergy of a tie in with Burger King. The Iron Man set included a cool figure, if a little small, and some funky sun glasses that my son loved. The Indiana Jones toys from Burger King include Boulder Escape Indy, Stunt Jump Indy, they are fun but again a little on the small side.
The main thrust of the Iron Man toys are action figures. The figures made by Hasbro are neat. The design from the packaging to the figures are great, the colours strong and likeness to the film characters are impressive. In line with other comic book hero's the advantage is that the Iron Man toys can do battle with other Marvel and DC superhero's. They have also released a set of dress up outfits with masks, suits and weapons. These look like great fun and should ensure hours of good imaginative play.
Lego appears to be the main trust of the Indiana Jones toys. They have released a variety of different sets covering most price ranges. The Motorcycle Chase with its mini motorcycle and check point looks immense fun. I've never been convinced that the larger play sets are worth the money or the time to construct. The never stay complete for that long in my house!
I love Lego and it has a shelve life that easily out strips the life span of most toys. Once the thrill of the film has died away the Lego can be reused in any number of ways, combined with other sets, morphed and redesigned. The small figures will join the never ending army of Lego figures that double as everything from crowds at soccer matches to holiday makers at the airport or flood victims in need of rescue.
With the new influx of toys the issue becomes what to do with those from last year! What should I do with those Transformers that are cluttering up the toy box.
I have been using Jumbleworld with my children to sell there old toys. Jumbleworld is one of the better
If I had to choose two toys from this years summer blockbusters they would be Indiana Jones Lego and the Iron Man outfit.
Tony Heywood ?
Antony Heywood
used toys online
auctions online
Halo Graphic Novel - Get Your Halo Graphic Novel Online Now
Marvel and Bungie team up to create The Halo Graphic Novel HC based on the best-selling video game. The graphic novel brings the Halo universe to life for the first time in the sequential art medium in a 128-page, full color, high quality, jacketed, hardcover graphic novel. Stories include: "Last Voyage of the Infinite Succor" by Simon Bisley and Lee Hammock. When communications from a Covenant agricultural support ship are mysteriously terminated, an Elite Commander and his squad of Special Forces are sent to investigate. In "Armor Testing" by Ed Lee and Jay Faerber, the only way to test Spartan armor, is to send a Spartan. The question is what's really being tested? In Tsutomo Nihei's "Breaking Quarantine," the untold tale of Sergeant Johnson's escape from the clutches of the Flood menace is revealed! Finally, Moebius and Brett Lewis' "Second Sunrise Over New Mombasa" tells of the subtler, more dangerous fights taking place on the streets of New Mombasa and in the hearts and minds of men. Cover by Phil Hale. Gallery art created a number of elite artists including Rick Berry, Geof Darrow, Scott Fischer, Sterling Hundley, Craig Mullins, George Pratt, Juan Ramirez, George Staples, Justin Sweet, John Van Fleet and Kent Williams.
Price: $24.99Click here to buy from Amazon
Anime vs Manga
If you are a magna fan and reading up on the latest anime and manga releases and the history of the subject, you will find there has been a lot of confusion between anime and manga. Oftentimes, fans will ask others on forums or on blogs or in chat rooms what the difference is. But this is like having the blind lead the blind in most cases.
There are experts who visit these sites and can answer questions intelligently, but since they do not usually leave links to back up their claims, it can be unclear if what they say is true or if they are really experts. If you go to an online encyclopedia, you often find so much information to wade through with so many big words, it's hard to fully make sense of it all.
Suffice it to say that manga means Japanese comic books, or in other words, those drawn-on-paper cartoons originating in Japan. Similar to the American comics with Superman and Spiderman, these comics were often made into different series and are still produced in quantity. Anime is animation, or you could say, the animated versions of manga.
Any animation actually needs to start out as a cartoon drawing of some kind. Manga artists create the characters and story line, then their drawings are made into animated film. The animation process is long and detailed, and takes a number of talented people to bring off the final product. The artists who originally create the character, his personality and the scene where the action takes place play a large part in the production of the anime.
Sometimes, besides the creator of the manga itself, studios take the artwork and make the backgrounds and other details with the labors of other animators. These drawings are combined and photographed or scanned as one piece, making an entire scene with the character, extras and the sights of a modern city or whatever is being portrayed. Thus anime is created.
Rumko Takahashi created the popular series, Inuyasha and Ranma ½. She does the original drawings and assists in the animation process along with other artists in the studio that produce the final anime. And so it is with many manga-kas (manga writers).
Which came first, manga or anime? That is easy to answer in studying the history of cartoon drawing. In Japan, the most famous manga artists were in production in the 1940s, for they were producing cartoons regarding the World War in progress at the time. That doesn't mean there weren't other cartoonists prior to this time. Certainly there were.
In the U.S., comics were in vogue early on. As early as the late 1700s, Benjamin Franklin started the first editorial cartoon. This soon expanded to the longer comic strips, the first of which was drawn by Richard Outcault in 1895. Then in the 1930s there were the debuts of such heroes as Superman and Batman.
The author is the Admin of the Anime Friends Network site AnimeMine [http://www.animemine.com], where you can meet new friends and discuss your favorite anime and manga subjects. This article can also be found at our free article directory Smarticlesmart
For more anime information please go to AnimeMine.com today. For more free articles please try Smarticlesmart.com.
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