Posted by Michael Pinto on Apr 22, 2010 in Comic Books
These five beautifully illustrated covers are from DC Comics, and the one thing that they all have in common is that they’re aimed at mature audiences. In the past mature signified sex and violence, but I feel that with these covers that it also implies grown up art tastes. I bring this up because so many of the superhero covers I see from DC look like clichéd coloring book covers — it’s almost as if DC was looking down at their younger readers who I think are much more hip than they give them credit for. Shown above is the cover for The Unwritten Vol. 2: Inside Man by Yuko Shimizu and below is Unknown Soldier #22 illustrated by Dave Johnson: Read more…
Feast your eyes on these wicked new chopsticks from Kotobukiya. Fans of the Sengoku Basara anime series, as well as Japanese history buffs like myself, might recognize the designs. Believe it or not, they’re actually fashioned after the swords and blades supposedly carried by the likes of Masamune Date, Keiji Meada and Yukimura Sanada — warriors who fought during Japan’s Sengoku era — with some amount of historical accuracy. I’ve always had a fascination with Samurais, so these are right up my alley. The chopsticks, estimated to cost about $9 a pair, won’t be hitting stores and online retailers until sometime in July. For more information, check out Kotobukiya’s US website. Read more…
The Blammoids! seem to be catching on quickly — the first set is due out this month and features Batman, the Joker and some other well known DC characters. Shown here is a preview of the fourth series which is due out in December and will feature Flash, Etrigan the Demon, Brainiac, Martian Manhunter, Hawkman and Reverse-Flash: Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Apr 20, 2010 in Comic Books
So I find myself looking through the dozens of previews that DC Comics has lined up — and I see cover after cover of the same old mediocre prancing over posed lackluster superheroes. But alas one jumped out at me, it’s the cover for Batman: The Widening Gyre which goes on sale in September. The first thing that hit me is that the draftsmanship of the drawing itself is just stunning. There’s a great deal of action going on, yet the drawing style is very loose but not cartoony. And then there’s the color and specifically the texture of the drawing which is so much more sophisticated than the typical coloring book job you see on almost every other DC Comics cover. So of course I go to check out the illustrator and the artist is the master himself: Bill Sienkiewicz.
Sideshow Collectibles has always been a hallmark of quality in terms of toys and collectibles, though I’ve never really been able to afford to collect them myself. Never the less, the quality of their products never cease to amaze me. For example, take a look at this fantastic replica of the Bat-Cowl from Batman Returns. I could only dream of having this displayed in a dark room of my make-shift manor. They took the original mold that used in the film and painstaking crafted the fine details in fiberglass, limiting it to a run of 500. At $499, it’s just a little too rich for my blood – after all, I’m no Bruce Wayne. If you’re interested however, check their website for updates. It’s supposed to be available sometime this quarter. Read more…
When I first laid eyes on an iPad, I knew I had to have it. Sure, I didn’t really have a practical use for one, aside from using it to read e-books or check my mail, but the hipster in me just couldn’t resist. Besides, it was the closest thing to a Star Trek padd I could get, and now, thanks to the LCARS Reader app, it’s even closer than before. Let’s just hope that CBS keeps their grubby hands off of it. Read more…
The guys over at Luxury Lane Soap really blew me away with what could easily be the coolest bar of soap I’ve ever seen — so much so that it would pain me to have to use it rather than keep it on display in my own sand-scarred palace. I’m not even sure how they got the idea to make soap out of Han Solo’s carbonite tomb, but it’s pretty fantastic if you ask me. Of course, I’d find it a bit morbid to wash myself with poor old Han, but I think the coolness factor easily makes up for that. Luxury Lane is currently out-of-stock, but you can still place one on a four to six week back-order for around $6.50 a piece. Read more…
A teaser has been released for the upcoming fan film Star Wars: Uncut. For those of you who haven’t heard about the project, the film consists of 15 second clips by fans in an attempt recreate Episode IV: A New Hope in its entirety. The trailer highlights the variety of methods used to create each scene with everything from Legos and toys, to pets and food. I about died when I saw the hamburger Millenium Falcon take off, making its escape from a cardboard Death Star. Read more…
Posted by Michael Pinto on Apr 16, 2010 in Comic Books
The Marvelous Land of Oz #5 hits the street next week on Wednesday, April 21st — if you haven’t seen this series do yourself a favor and get your hands on it. I love the fact that Marvel is doing a series that doesn’t involve superheroes — and then add the fact that Skottie Young really has a unique visual style that you don’t get to see anywhere else in comics these days. I wouldn’t be too surprised that given the Disney takeover over Marvel that one day we might be lucky and get to see an animated version of this series. Read more…
The upcoming May issue of Pen magazine in Japan will be honoring legendary horror manga artist Shigeru Mizuki. Mizuki is the artist behind GeGeGe no Kitaro which features a great deal of Japanese folklore and a little boy who was born in a cemetery. Currently the issue isn’t out yet but when it’s available you can order it via amazon.co.jp. Read more…
