Lone Ranger #23
Written by Brett Matthews
Art by Sergio Cariello
Cover Art By John Cassaday
Colors: Marcelo Pinto
Lettered by Simon Bowland
Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: August 18, 2010

Dynamite’s The Lone Ranger #23 is Part 7 of a storyline entitled “Resolve.” The first thing that catches your eye is the awesome John Cassaday artwork on the front cover. From page one, the story picks up as we see the Lone Ranger’s foe Butch Cavendish torturing a sheriff that he has kidnapped. The sheriff’s ordeal is shown throughout much of the book as the story alternates between those scenes and Lone Ranger and Tonto preparing themselves for a final showdown.

We also see a young Lone Ranger in this book, still a bit unsure of himself. Refreshingly, Tonto is portrayed as very capable and not constantly needing to be rescued by his “Kemo Sabe.” This is clearly not your father’s Lone Ranger and Tonto. Also, we see that the Lone Ranger has the potential for a romantic interest with a character named Linda. Brett Matthews has truly scripted a very unique interpretation of the Lone Ranger mythos [...]

Terminator Salvation: Trial By Fire
Mass Market Paperback
By Timothy Zahn
Titan Books
Release Date: August 17, 2010

Have you been wondering what happened after Terminator Salvation? Are you waiting for the next movie? Well stop what your doing and go pick up Terminator Salvation: Trial By Fire. Trial By Fire not only continues the story, but also fills in the gaps and explains things that happened in the movie. All that and it’s written by one of the most prolific Star Wars extended universe authors, Timothy Zahn. If that doesn’t sell you on this book, I don’t know what will.

Without spoiling the book, let me run down the basics of the story for you. There are four stories to follow which are all equally riveting. First you have Kyle Reese fighting to survive in a horrible situation underground. Next you have Blair Williams and Barnes investigating a lead from the recently destroyed Skynet base while trying to mend their respect for each other after Marcus coming between them. Third, you have a new character, Jik, fighting to survive and make it to Baker’s Hollow while being hunted down by Terminators for an unknown reason. Finally there’s the story of Baker’s Hollow and the Prestons, Daniel and Hope and how they have fought to survive as a community after Judgment Day [...]

The Expendables
Directed by Sylvester Stallone
Starring Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Steve Austin
Rated R
Release date: August 13, 2010

Since The Expendables was first announced in 2008 the idea of bringing together some of the finest cinematic tough guys and badass motherfuckers of the past three decades for one big blood, bullets, and bombs brouhaha sounded like the wet dream of millions of action movie geeks brought to life in booze-and-steroid-infused flesh. I was raised on a steady diet of badass from the moment I was born. When I was a child my celluloid heroes were Han Solo and Superman. My mother didn’t think I was ready for R-rated movies, the threshold you had to cross to truly be a man. When I turned ten the time had come. During my summer vacation I caught the HBO premiere of the immortal Die Hard and my mind was promptly blown by the glorious on-screen action and the awesome presence of the one and only Bruce Willis in his signature role as badass New York cop John McClane. My exposure to such large scale chaos until then came chiefly in the form of cartoons like Transformers and G.I. Joe (which one day would ironically become big screen cartoons only with flesh-and-blood folks playing one-dimensional characters), but watching Willis bury bullets in the heads and asses of a bunch of heavily armed German thieves was a serious cultural awakening nothing could’ve prepared me for. By the time I was eleven and my parents allowed me to watch Lethal Weapon for the first time, the doors on a brave new world were forever opened for me. I may have still inhabited the body of a shy, snot-nosed kid who grew up dirt poor and never had many friends, but from that moment on I was a man, in my heart at any rate [...]

At this point in time, people who are excited about AMC’s new zombie series The Walking Dead have been itching for some kind of trailers help with excitement for the October premiere. Sadly, we’ve only really been given images to check out thus far, and that’s no different today.

Five new images have been released, and these show off a few of the main character, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), fighting off a swarm of zombies. Most of the images we’ve seen have just shown the zombies, and there are a couple more of those here, but it’s good to see some character action.

Click on over to the other side to check out the five new images from The Walking Dead now!

The Walking Dead as a six-episode series based on the comic book written by Robert Kirkman and published by Image Comics. The Walking Dead tells the story of life following a zombie apocalypse. It follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, traveling in search of a safe and secure home. [...]

Joss Whedon fans rejoice, an old friend is coming back to the major publisher, Dark Horse Comics. The comic series Angel will be rejoining the publisher in 2011 with brand new stories and all of your favorite characters.

Fans of the TV show and comic know that the series had been with IDW Publishing which is known for titles like G.I. Joe, Star Trek, and Doctor Who, as well as many other titles. Joss Whedon, who created the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel TV series, will be heavily involved in the new Angel comics, as he is with Buffy and Serenity. Right now Whedon is currently overseeing the end of his season eight of the Buffy comic and is planning season nine as well as the new story for Angel.

It is clear to see that the two titles will have many crossovers. IDW and Dark Horse are talking to each other about the storylines for the Angel series and IDW’s final 6-book arc will act as a bridge, that way when Dark Horse picks up the book in 2011 they can continue to pick up where the series left off. [...]

If at first you don’t succeed, reboot, and reboot again. That seems to be Marvel’s approach to recent comic book films that have not turned out so well. Daredevil, Ghost Rider, and Fantastic Four have all been getting reboot talk lately and we now have our first set of proposed casting rumors for the Fantastic Four film.

Screenrant has Adrien Brody (who has also been rumored for the upcoming Ant-Man film) and Jonathan Rhys Meyers both in the running for Reed Richards aka Mr. Fantastic.

Meanwhile, Comic Book Movie tells us that Fox has been looking at Kevin Pennington (90210) to play Johnny Storm aka the Human Torch and Amber Heard (Zombieland and Pineapple Express) to play Sue Storm aka the Invisible Woman [...]

There’s no denying that Futurama has always been one of the smartest shows on TV, and the writers decided to take that to a whole new level in this past Thursday’s episode, titled “The Prisoner of Benda.”

In the episode, Professor Farnsworth unveils a new invention of his which allows anyone to switch mind and body with another. It begins with Amy and Farnsworth innocently swapping bodies for personal reasons, but they soon learn that they aren’t able to swap back. By the end of the episode, all the Planet Express crew, friends and acquaintances, and even robo-utensils have used the machine, and no one is in the correct body. To get everything back to normal calls for the assistance of the brilliant minds from the Globetrotter Homeworld and some crafty mathematical equations.

Click on over for more and to see a clip from the episode showing off some of the mind-switching madness now! [...]

Amazon is currently running a sale for up to 55% off over 2,500 DVDs and Blu-ray Discs in movies and television, as well as boxed sets.

Note, most of the sale prices expire on Monday, August 23, 2010 unless otherwise noted, so grab these discounts while you can.

Here’s the main page for the Movies & TV DVDs & Blu-ray sale, with has tons of listings, but I’ve also pulled out a select few titles here below worth mentioning.

- The Wire: The Complete Series DVD for $113.99

- Harry Potter Years 1-6 Giftset Blu-ray for $88.49 + a FREE copy Lego Harry Potter video game (choose from 6 gaming systems). Expires on Aug 31, 2010.

- Harry Potter Years 1-6 Giftset DVD for $34.99 [...]

The Gold Box spotlight item of the day over at Amazon today is all The X-Files Season DVDs for only $13.99 each (that’s 65% off the list price of $25.99 each).

All 9 seasons of the television series which starred David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are available at that sale price, and you can choose as many seasons as you’d like for the price.

Math time: If you choose to purchase all 9 seasons, it would come out to $125.91 total (without the sale it’s $233.91 total).

Note, this deal is only for today (Sunday, August 22, 2010) until midnight PST while supplies last [...]

This weekend saw quite a bit of movies released, none of which seemed particularly interesting, but one did pique my interest: Piranha 3D, a reimagining of the 1978 Roger Corman feature Piranha. While the original film was an attempt to hitch a ride on the success of Jaws, this new film is instead riding the wave of the recent 3D phenomenon.

Typically, when I find out a movie is in 3D, it actually makes me NOT want to go see it, as today’s 3D is more for high-definition picture quality, whereas I grew up in a time where 3D meant a harpoon was coming right at your face and that’s the 3D I want. Piranha 3D promised me this ‘gotcha’ 3D.

As far as the film’s subject matter, I must admit I’ve been intrigued by those South America fish with a penchant for flesh ever since thrash metal giants Exodus sang about piranha on their 1985 debut album. Of course, I was probably compelled by the song’s reference to them as “Loki’s children,” trapped in the depths of Hell brought up to one day waste mankind. But I was introduced to these deadly creatures nevertheless and the fascination began.

It helped a lot that Piranha 3D, directed by Alexandre Aja (The Hill Have Eyes remake), boasts a cast of Richard Dreyfess, Elisabeth Shue, and Christopher Lloyd, right there enough to get to me go see the film.

If you’ve seen Piranha 3D, then it’s time for some SPOILER TALK. Continue reading for my SPOILER-filled thoughts on the movie, and feel free to leave your thoughts in the Comments section [...]

Recorded Aug 9, 2010.

Don’t forget, this month we’re dooming Scott Pilgrim! All 6 volumes can be found at instocktrades and dcbservice

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Full Episode Guide is here below, along with player.

Listen now!

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[...]

A new trailer and poster for Case 39 have been released online by Paramount Vantage. It stars Renée Zellweger (Cold Mountain), Ian McShane (Deadwood), Bradley Cooper (The Hangover), Jodelle Ferland (Silent Hill), and Callum Keith Rennie (Battlestar Galactica).

The movie tells the story of a seasoned social services worker who meets a 10-year-old girl with incredibly cruel parents looking after her. When they try to hurt their daughter, the social worker takes her in and tries to find her a foster family, but they soon discover that something evil comes with the young girl and grave danger is lurking.

You can check out the trailer and synopsis for the movie here below; poster is at right (click for larger, full view).

SYNOPSIS: In CASE 39, family services social worker Emily Jenkins (Renée Zellweger) thinks she has seen it all [...]

For a while, X-Men and X2 director Bryan Singer was set to return to the cinematic superhero world he had created for X-Men: First Class. Eventually, he was forced to step down from the project due to some previous engagements, leaving the door open for Stardust and Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn to step in.

Though Singer may have moved out of the director’s chair he did still stay on-board as a producer, and today he decided to share a multitude of details on X-Men: First Class, including many lingering questions fans have had. Questions answered include who exactly the villain that we’ve known Kevin Bacon was playing is (and the group he’s part of), when the movie will be set, and whether or not James McAvoy‘s Professor X will be bald and in his wheelchair or not.

These are just a few of the details revealed just days before the film enters production, and you can read all about them and more by continuing on your quest to the bottom. [...]

A new video has been released featuring many of the actors from this weekend’s Piranha 3D. The cast has gathered to make a case for why their new movie deserves at least one Academy Award for their efforts. Best Picture, Best Actor/Actress, Best Animated Feature — they have an argument for why all would be acceptable and deserved.

In the video you’ll see Jerry O’Connell (who’s character has some lawsuit trouble stirred up), Adam Scott, Jessica Szohr, Riley Steele, Paul Scheer, and the lovely Kelly Brook (my gods, that accent).

Clearly this is just a joke (or is it…), but the video is really, really funny, and well worth a couple minutes of your time — especially if you were able to see the movie this weekend. Once again, there may be what some would consider a spoiler toward the beginning…but again-again, it’s Piranha 3D, folks. Click on over to check out the video now! [...]

Since it’s going to be the movie subject of this week’s Flix of Doom podcast, the majority of the Doom crew will be heading out in full force to see Piranha 3D tonight.

Which movie will you go see this weekend?

Piranha 3D, The Switch, Vampires Suck, Nanny McPhee Return, Lottery Ticket [...]

If you’re unfamiliar with Chatroulette, the website allows people with webcams to be matched up with strangers for some random social interaction. Not working quite as planned, the site has built a reputation for offering up a whole lot of lonely men (often “in all their glory,” if you know what I mean) ready to show off to the lucky ladies who find themselves regrettable staring back.

In a work of genius viral marketing, the new horror film The Last Exorcism decided to take advantage of this situation. They put together videos of beautiful young women, who would appear to be ready to put on a show for the gentlemen watching her feed. Just when the girl looks like she’s about to remove her clothing, however, the eager male expressions turn to shock as her eyes roll back in her head, and a demon-esque creature comes at the camera.

Thankfully, there’s some videos of reactions to this unexpected horror, and you can head below to check them out for yourselves! [...]

Galaxy Of Terror
Roger Corman’s Cult Classics
Blu-ray | DVD
Directed by Bruce D. Clark
Starring Edward Albert, Ray Walston, Grace Zabriskie, Bernard Behrens, Erin Moran, Robert Englund, Zalman King, Taaffe O’Connell, Sid Haig, Jack Blessing
Shout! Factory
Release Date: July 20, 2010

Until the rise of home video in the early 1980’s, the best place to get quality exploitation cinema was to fire up the car and head out for a night at your local drive-in theater or dilapidated grind house, and during the heyday of exploitation, Roger Corman was the king of unbeatable schlock.

Today the prolific producer/director is as much known for his ability to churn out low-budget B-movies that would always turn a profit thanks to a shrewd marketing strategy that the blockbuster filmmakers of today would take and run with for a while before perverting into blandness, as he is for discovering or at least recognizing the hidden talent in some of the most important figures in the New Hollywood group of filmmakers that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s: names like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Jack Nicholson, Peter Bogdanovich, Joe Dante, John Sayles, Sylvester Stallone, Ron Howard, Carl Franklin, Peter Fonda, and so on.

In the early 1970s, Corman founded New World Pictures, the independent studio where he made most of his more well-known titles and provided a training ground for many of today’s finest directors, writers, actors, and technicians. Recently the DVD label Shout! Factory bought the rights to most of Corman’s finest B-movie gems and have been releasing them to DVD and Blu-Ray under their “Roger Corman’s Cult Classics” banner complete with brand new high-definition transfers and tons of extra features, some of them holdovers from previous DVD releases. Several of these titles have never been available since the slow death of home video and I’ll be reviewing the two most recent releases from Shout! Factory, both making their first appearance on the little shiny disc, with my first review being Galaxy of Terror [...]

There could be a lot of potentially great news here for fans of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Last we heard about the project, it had acquired the services of Michael Bay‘s Platinum Dunes — makers of horror remakes like Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and A Nightmare on Elm Street — to produce the new live-action/computer animated flick.

That announcement was a few months ago, and next up comes the reveal of writers for the project. Deadline has had the scoops lately, and they’re hearing that Art Marcum and Matt Holloway have reached a near $1 million deal to craft the new Ninja Turtles script.

We won’t know for a while how this movie will play out — it could be a surprise treat, or it could be a massive disaster — but Marcum and Holloway seem like a promising pair. The team helped write the script for Jon Favreau’s Iron Man, and they also wrote the script for Punisher: War Zone, which wasn’t quite as popular, but was a little more faithful to the comics than previous offerings. [...]

The movie is newly released so many may not know this, but Piranha 3D has a character (played by Jerry O’Connell) in it that has a lot of people are comparing to Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis…most likely because he runs a little venture called “Wild Wild Girls.” The entrepreneur has faced many legal battles in the past, but now we find him threatening one on the new movie and the studio behind it, The Weinstein Company.

In a letter from Francis’s lawyers, all parties were warned that any type of “defamatory or disparaging statements, or depictions, in the media or in the film itself, or other statements that portray Mr. Francis in a false light, will be met with swift litigation.” This may leave the Weinsteins and others not too thrilled with O’Connell, who has on multiple occasions stated that he “gets to play Joe Francis,” and then steps back and clarifies “Oh, wait. For legal reasons I’m supposed to say, ‘I play someone loosely based on Joe Francis.’”

You can click on over to the other side to read quotes from Francis and the full letter from his lawyers. Be warned, there are spoilers in these quotes, but a movie like Piranha 3D being spoiled probably shouldn’t worry you too much. [...]

At an undisclosed time today, Mondo, the Alamo Drafthouse’s collectible art boutique, will be offering up another poster in their Star Wars series.

This latest offering, which goes on sale today and will most likely sell out within an hour, is called “Hoth” and it’s by artist Dan McCarthy.

Check it out here at right and click for larger full view.

The limited edition poster (an edition of 475) is a 12″x36″ screen print, hand numbered, and will sell for $50, with only one purchase allowed per household [...]