Original Planet of the Apes - Back on the Big Screen! And...Khaaaaan!

Karen: All of you Ape-ophiles will be excited to hear that the original Planet of the Apes will be back in theaters one day only, July 24th, through Fathom Events! I've attended some other classic films shown through Fathom and they've been a lot of fun. Although I am sure most of us have seen POTA before (maybe many times), there's nothing quite like seeing these films in a theater with other fans. I encourage you to see if it is being shown in your area and check it out. I already got my ticket!

Here's a link to the Fathom website: http://www.fathomevents.com/event/planet-of-the-apes

 

Karen: On another science fiction film-related note: if you happened to buy the recent release of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Director's Cut on Blu Ray, there is a minor error in the editing of the Kobayashi Maru sequence (the problem occurs when Sulu turns around to correct Saavik; you can read about it in detail at Trek Core here). Paramount has initiated a replacement program, so buyers can send in their faulty copies for corrected ones. Trek Core also has the details for the trade in program, and you can learn about that by clicking here. I emailed Paramount a few days ago but I haven't heard anything yet. While it's disappointing that this mistake made its way into the film, the fact that Paramount is willing to replace the disc is commendable. Hopefully those of us who jumped on this version of the film (me!) can get it replaced soon.

The Collected Works of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu

Karen: We have frequently spoken here of our frustrations about not being able to get reprints/trade paperbacks of Master of Kung Fu. Marvel has had legal problems with reproducing the original issues of the series due to the appearance of the Sax Rohmer Fu Manchu characters in the stories. But something has been worked out with the Rohmer estate, and Marvel is publishing Master of Kung Fu in omnibus form! In fact, there will be four of them reprinting the entire run. Volumes 1-3 will reprint the Master of Kung Fu series, along with Giant Size and Annual issues and other assorted stories, and a fourth volume will print the black and white magazine Deadly Hands of Kung Fu. Based on Amazon's listings, volume 2 should be out in September, and  the Deadly Hands omnibus (which is not using the same numbering as the MOKF volumes) will be out in November. I'm not sure when volume 3 of MOKF will be out but presumably after that.

Karen: While this might not be the ideal format for everyone, at least we are getting the stories collected. It seemed like it might never come to pass, so it's a pretty big deal.

Karen: The first omnibus debuts this Tuesday, the 14th. The MSRP is $125, but In-Stock Trades is selling it for $68.75! Below is a description of what is in volume one:

SHANG-CHI: MASTER OF KUNG FU OMNIBUS VOL. 1 HC

Written by STEVE ENGLEHART, DOUG MOENCH, LEN WEIN & MORE
Penciled by JIM STARLIN, PAUL GULACY, AL MILGROM, KEITH POLLARD, JOHN BUSCEMA, SAL BUSCEMA, ROSS ANDRU & MORE
COVERS BY TERRY DODSON & JIM STARLIN

One of the most groundbreaking Marvel Comics of all is collected for the first time! Born to be the world’s most fearsome fighter, Shang-Chi’s life takes a major turn when he discovers the truth about his father, the villainous Fu Manchu! So begins the epic story of the Master of Kung Fu! On a quest to end the reign of his pernicious patriarch, Shang-Chi pits his deadly hands and furious feet against incredible foes like Tiger-Claw, Razor-Fist, the mysterious Midnight — and even the macabre Man-Thing! But will his mastery of martial arts be enough in a throwdown with the Amazing Spider-Man? Collecting SPECIAL MARVEL EDITION #15-16, MASTER OF KUNG FU (1974) #17-37, GIANT-SIZE MASTER OF KUNG FU #1-4, GIANT-SIZE SPIDER-MAN #2 and material from IRON MAN ANNUAL #4.
696 PGS./Rated T…$125.00
ISBN: 978-1-302-90129-5
Trim size: oversized

BAB Classic: Darwyn Cooke's Take on the DC Universe

NOTE: This post was originally published on September 20, 2014.

Doug: Sadly, Karen and I never got round to reviewing Darwyn Cooke's masterpiece The New Frontier. I wish we had. Oh, we've both read it -- and we've both seen the equally pleasant animated feature of the same name. But time and busyness intruded around a year ago when we were in talks to get it done. Today, it's a sense of loss that an artist who brought us joy, and from all accounts I'm reading was a fantastic human being, is gone. But his work remains, and has been such a high to see around the Internet these past two days. One cannot help but smile at Cooke's smiling heroes and sexy women. His was a talent akin to Bruce Timm's -- guys like that just make comics fun. So thanks, Darwyn, for the fun.

Karen: Although not a Bronze Age artist, Darwyn Cooke sure has that sensibility. He might be best known for "New Frontier," his retro story of the DC super-heroes' origins (which was also turned into an animated feature), but he's currently produced 23 variant covers for DC books, and they are spectacular.You can see all 23 at the link below, but  I've posted a few here to show you what to expect. Personally, I get a big kick out of that Teen Titans cover!

http://comicsalliance.com/darwyn-cooke-dc-variants-december/

 

Bronze Age Babies Buleltins: Who's Captain Marvel, and Meet the Black Panther

Karen: At the request of our buddy Humanbelly, today we're going to give folks a chance to engage on a topic that has received a lot of attention lately: who should play Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers in the Marvel film universe? A lot of names have been thrown around; most recently, Charlize Theron has been mentioned. But fans have been petitioning for Katee Sackhoff, Natalie Dormer, Katheryn Winnick, Emily Blunt...well, just about any actress you can think of. What's your opinion?

Image from Comicbookmovie.com

Karen: As a bonus, here's some cool mock magazine covers made by Black Panther fan and mechanical engineer Darian Robbins that would be great promo pieces for the film. Comic Book resources (where I also grabbed the images) has an interview with Robbins here. These are really smart, slick graphics and work well to introduce T'Challa and his world. Are you watching, Marvel?

Get Your Popcorn Ready

NOTE: During housekeeping on April 27 2020, I must report that I no longer recall the clips that were attached to this post. Those with broken links shall, alas, remain broken.

Karen: There have been a ton of clips from the upcoming Avengers:Age of Ultron film hitting the internet recently. Are you avoiding them or watching them all? I've pretty much stopped now, wanting to go in to the theater not knowing everything that's going to happen in the film. But here's a couple to get us talking:

Karen: Looking good, although I am still thrown by Ultron's voice. I like James Spader but it's just not what I expect for Ultron. We'll see how it works out in the film.

Karen: Marvel also gave us a full Ant-Man trailer last week. This one had the title character in action, and it also gave us a good look at Yellowjacket -the villain of the film. It's definitely going to have humor but it seems like it will be balanced with a lot of super-heroics. Thoughts?

Karen: DC just got in on the action with the release of the first trailer for Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. This looks to borrow heavily from The Dark Knight Returns, as well as address the massive destruction of Man of Steel. I'm not sure what to think yet, but it looks awfully dark. I did think that Batman dialog was way too cheesy.

Karen: How about the small screen? Has anyone been watching Daredevil on Netflix? I've seen five episodes so far, and I'm impressed. The production is high-quality all the way around. My only complaint would be the excessive violence, which feels unnecessary to me (I don't need to see a villain beat a man's head into pulp to understand he's volatile and a bad guy). But the story and acting are strong enough that I'll keep  watching -and I'm not even particularly fond of the comics!

Karen: Finally, I can't close without noting that a trailer for the next Star Wars film dropped on April 16th. I am concerned about this one -I want it to be good, because they are bringing back Luke, Han, Leia, and Chewie! -but it is J.J. Abrams at the helm, and his track record is decidedly mixed. But watching this trailer the first time, my heart started pounding. It's Star Wars!

Iron Man, Heart of Gold

Karen: I wanted to share this video of Robert Downey Jr., helping present a 3D printed arm to a little boy, Alex, as part of a project to donate limbs to children in need around the world. The arm is the brainchild of a college student, Albert Manero. I think it's a great example of how technology can do real good in the world, and it's really terrific to see Downey engaging Alex and making the moment super-special. 

Raging Robots and Maids of Steel

Karen: A new trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron was released on Wednesday and it looks sweet! Check it out and chime in!

Karen: On Friday, pictures of the new Supergirl for the CBS series were also posted. OK -what say you on this costume -and of course the actress (Melissa Benoist) in it! I'm not fond of the muted colors but otherwise -I think it looks pretty good!

Bronze Age Babies Bulletins: Free Starlog and Graffiti is Back

Karen: Just passing this on: Starlog magazine, that wonderful source of so much sci-fi/fantasy info for many of us back when the internet was just a gleam in a DARPA scientist's eye, has made all of their issues available for download. You heard me right. Any issue you want to get your hands on, you can! Just go to this site: https://archive.org/details/starlogmagazine and check out all the great articles from over the years.

Karen: This week the latest Led Zeppelin remaster came out: Physical Graffiti, almost 40 years since the original release. These have been uneven releases -some of the bonus material has included out-takes that sound barely different from the songs we know so well. In this case, the bonus disc has a few surprises; still not the live performances one might have craved (only the Led Zeppelin first album remaster has had that so far), but these rough versions of familiar songs are worth a listen. "Sick Again" is only instrumental, with no vocal track, and the opening sounds a bit different. The version of "Houses of the Holy" proves the old adage of less is more, as it is burdened with both a clunky cowbell part and weird backing vocals. An early version of "Into the Light," titled "Everybody Makes it Through," sounds almost like a different song, with what might be a harpsichord playing a prominent role. But beyond the bonus material, this is a great album, one of their best, and it sounds wonderful. With songs like "Kashmir," "Ten Years Gone," and "Boogie with Stu," it's an example of Zep's versatility and talent.

Aquaman -Now with More Macho

Karen: So late Thursday night  Zack Snyder, director of the upcoming Superman vs Batman: Dawn of Justice  film, dropped this image on Twitter:

That, friends and neighbors, is Jason Momoa as Aquaman -I know, you might have thought it was Conan with a trident, but you'd be mistaken. Obviously DC/Warners are doing everything they can to move as far away as possible from the more popular image of the Sea King:

I have to say, I didn't expect a literal interpretation of the old costume, but I am surprised they didn't  make him blond. I guess he has blond highlights. It's certainly a strong, provocative image. I told Doug I thought that not only was DC trying to make us forget the old 'Superfriends' Aquaman, but I think they are trying to out bad-ass Sub-Mariner before he hits the big screen. Who knows, Aquaman could wind up the breakout star of this film. Let's hear what you think.

"I'm going to tear you apart from the inside" -Avengers:Age of Ultron trailer 2 is up!

Karen: Ultron! Avengers! Hulkbuster!!! It's the second full trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron!

Feeling Antsy?

Karen: Howdy folks.  Catching up on recent events, any thoughts on the Ant-Man movie trailer that came out last week (posted below)? I'm just wondering if people are excited about this or what expectations might be for it. Also, I know we have a few Hank Pym fans around here, and since he won't be donning the Ant-Man suit but playing the mentor role to Scott Lang, how does that strike everyone?

Get your Marvel Experience on

Karen: Yesterday my husband Tom and I went to the Marvel Experience here in Phoenix. If you've not heard about this show, you can check out their website here. I honestly didn't know what exactly to expect when we got tickets for it, although I did know that it would include some sort of projections and interactive experiences. The husband and I figured, "Hey, it's Marvel, and it's right when we'll be taking a break at Christmas, so let's check it out!"

Karen: For nearly a month I watched as I drove past on the freeway in the morning as the domes went up near the baseball diamonds out at Salt River Fields. What could be inside? Would it really be worth going to? More importantly, would it be worth the money we forked over for the VIP tickets?

Karen: Overall, I am going to say that the Marvel Experience is something any Marvel fan will really enjoy. They've succeeded in making the customer feel like they are in the Marvel Universe -whether you are a fan from the movies, animated shows, or even the comics. A selection of thirteen main heroes drive the story (yes, there is a story) and attractions are built around them. I don't want to give too much away -it is more fun when you are surprised and can experience these things fresh. But I will give my top three reasons you should go see the Marvel Experience, and my take on three areas for improvement.

Top Three Reasons to See the Marvel Experience

Reason Number One: Total Marvel Immersion

Wherever you turn, you are surrounded by some piece of Marvel coolness. There are prop recreations of hero and villain weapons and gear, along with history of said gear. Projected on the domes are  different characters, busy doing stuff. You may hear the loud speakers calling out for 'General Thaddeus Ross' or notice a familiar newspaper publisher on a screen, debating what's going on in the domes. When people stepped into the first dome and saw everything, it was all smiles. 

Reason Number Two: Interactive Games and the Simulator Ride

There are a number of interactive opportunities at the Experience. We just scratched the surface with our visit today. Unfortunately we went on a Saturday and it was very crowded, with long lines for almost everything (take note if you are planning to go -try a week day). However, I got to be the Hulk and destroy robot drones in a Wii-like simulator and it was a blast. There's a similar game for Iron Man, a wall-crawling area, a shooting gallery (we did this as well), and a bunch of other activities. At the very end of the Experience is a large motion ride where you team up with all the heroes to take on the bad guys, and it was a lot of fun! So if you enjoy this kind of stuff, this will be right up your alley.

Reason Number Three: The VIP package

If it is reasonable to you, you may want to get the VIP package, because you get some nice perks. For one thing, you get a return ticket, so it's essentially two admissions. VIP parking gets you a spot up near the entrance, so you don't have to walk far. You get access to the VIP lounge, which is OK, but nothing to get excited about. They have some free food, chips, fruit, popcorn -nice but nothing to write home about. There are also phone chargers in case your battery runs low, and places to sit and watch Marvel movies, but it's a pretty small place. But you get some nice swag for the price: a very nice SHIELD badge and wallet -this thing is metal and heavy! A t-shirt that we were told is not being sold anywhere, is only available to VIPs, and it has the city name on the back; the ability to have a 3D figure of yourself and a hero carved out in the gift store (we skipped this -we'll go back and do it -we saw finished ones and they looked very neat); a souvenir drawstring bag; and a kind of generic-y looking poster -not my kind of artwork but some people dig it. Another thing about VIP, it does get you to the head of some lines, so it may help reduce waiting (more about this in the next section).

So VIP when you add it up might be worth it -I believe it was $179 each for ours -I know, it's a lot but standard tickets are $35, so two admissions are $70 right there. It really depends on whether you want the stuff. 

Three Areas for Improvement at the Marvel Experience

Area Number One: Information Please!

I know this is the first city on the tour, and to be honest, it shows. This was the second day of the event, and it was still rough at times. We got there around 12 noon, and when we drove up, a sign read "Event Parking" and pointed us down a road, but we soon discovered it pointed us the wrong way. We had to drive all the way back and we finally found the lot. There was no clearly marked signs for anything in the lot. The VIP parking was up front but we had no way of seeing where, and there were no signs directing us there. We had to ask event staff, who did manage to tell us where to go. Getting our tickets and VIP stuff went well, but once we walked in there was some confusion about whether we could go to the front of every line with our VIP badges or just some lines. The staff never seemed to have the same answer. Although everyone was helpful, they didn't appear to have their act completely together.

Area Number Two: Keep it moving!

The first part of the Experience is the interactive area, which guests can peruse at their leisure. The second and third parts however, are timed to come one right after the other. Unfortunately, the staff doesn't seem very adept yet at getting folks from one part to the next very quickly. One part concludes and then you are left standing around for several minutes waiting to do the next part. You are ushered into another area, see a short film, then again, waiting for several minutes to get on to the next part of the adventure. Now sometimes I believe this was due to the ride or film going down -we know that right after we arrived, the main theater had a 'glitch' and they didn't let anyone in for almost a half-hour. But it seemed like at other times they simply weren't very good at timing things and moving groups from one point to the next. I'm sure this will improve as time goes on. (Also important to know: once you get to the second stage, there's no opportunity for a bathroom break until it is over (30-40 minutes), so be sure to go ahead of time!)

Area Number Three: Form a Line Please!

Like I said earlier, we went on a Saturday, so we knew it would be crowded. But many of the lines were extremely long, and in some cases, they overlapped with the lines for other attractions, or were crossing the exit paths for attractions. It became somewhat chaotic at times. I hope the staff invests a little more in crowd management. A few rope lines put up here and there would do wonders. Also, if at all possible, a few places to sit, maybe in the main courtyard area, would be helpful. It was a long day of mostly standing and the ability to sit down for even a couple of minutes would have been welcome.

All in all, we had a good time and I'm not only glad we went, I look forward to going back when it is less crowded and the staff has had a week or so to get their routines down. One small thing I noticed that gave me a smile: next to the cafe they had a collection of classic comic covers -yes, they actually acknowledged the source material! I saw a lot of kids looking at them. It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling.

Holy Extras, Batman! The Batman '66 Blu Ray and DVD Release

Karen: We seem to be the right audience for the Batman '66 blu ray and DVD sets which have just been released (Bleeding Cool has a run-down on the different versions available here), yet I find myself not too interested in buying any of these. Don't get me wrong, the transfers look brilliant and the extras are great, but if I am honest with myself, I can't see sitting down and watching all of these.

What about the rest of you? Are you planning to get the blu ray or DVD versions? I'd like to hear your reasons for either buying or not buying.

Avengers: Age of Ultron trailer is here!!!

Karen: WOW WEE!!! AVENGERS....ULTRON....HULKBUSTER!!!! 'NUFF SAID!

Alex Ross' Not So Secret War

Karen: Marvel is doing another 'Secret Wars,' and while I am sure I have no interest in reading this story 'event,' I am really digging this Alex Ross promotional art for it. Apparently it involves multiple universe versions of our heroes battling each other. 

Ramblings on the Planet of Apes

Karen: If you've spent any time around here at all, you know we here at BAB are Planet of the Apes nuts. Doug and I cut our geek eye-teeth on POTA and still drool over the movies and the merchandise. What with a new Apes film coming out on the 11th, there's a bunch of monkey business going on!

Karen: Neca is producing a 7" figure line based on the original films. The first three figures in the line will be Dr. Zaius, Cornelius, and a gorilla soldier. The figures are supposed to be available this month, retailing around $20 each or about $52 for a three-pack. They really have great detail and remind me of of upscale versions of the old Mego dolls.

Karen: Also in the merchandise category, Famous Monsters magazines' Captain Company is offering special Apes packs of magazines, posters, t-shirts, and figures. How can you turn this stuff down? The poster image  is too cool, with the Icarus spaceship sinking slowly away.

Karen: In other Apes news, the marvelous Creatures Features store in Burbank, California is currently featuring an art exhibit, Art of the Apes, through July 27th. They have works by dozens of talented artists on display. Check out this video of the event. The artwork  is so incredible and of such tremendous variety! I sure wish I could go!

Karen: I'm sure many of you recall that 20th Century Fox did POTA marathons in the past ("Go Ape!"). Some theaters will be showing both of the new Apes films, on July 11, one after another, in the tradition of Apes marathons of the past. So if you really are in the spirit, you can go out and see "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" followed by the new film, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes." Personally, I still think they got those titles backwards, but hey, I'm just glad to have some new Apes films, although I'll be happier when they start wearing costumes.

Karen: So ape-ophiles, hang in there, and remember the words of the Lawgiver: Ape shall never kill ape -unless he's got his hands on the last available Dr. Zaius action figure!