POWER GIRL SNEAK PEEK

The only good thing about Flash: Rebirth is a 7 page Power Girl #1 Preview, "It Came From Outer Space". Written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, the duo penning the best book at DC Comics, Jonah Hex. Amanda Conner does the art, who is a little too cartoony for my tastes, which only seems to cheapen the story. Her work is fine for silly stuff like The Pro, but doesn't belong in a title like Power Girl, unless the entire series will be tongue-in-cheek. Adam Hughes would be a much better choice for a character like Power Girl. But again, it's DC Comics, so you know not to expect much.

MAKE MINE MARVEL

There's been a lot of hype over Flash: Rebirth, the new DC Comics title by Geoff Johns and always wanting to read a good story, I bought the first issue. I should have trusted my instincts before purchasing the comic book, this is one book that you can judge by it's cover. You have "the fastest man alive" putting on a boot. Why not draw him combing his hair? That would be just as exciting.

This is the first issue, and while I admit I'm not a DC Comics fan or know much about the DC Universe, a person should be able to pick up the first issue and read a story without a lot of prologue. It's a first issue, after all. To say it's a story at all is a bit of a stretch. The reader is bogged down with various super heroes yammering on and on about their history with the Flash, speed force, bow ties, a dead mother, a speed cult and a bunch of villains. What ever happened with just telling a fun story, a good guy fighting a good guy? Oh, that's right, this is the company that hires Grant Morrison to write Batman and Final Crisis. Good storytelling has no place at DC Comics and Geoff Johns wants to make sure that edict stays in place.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "make mine Marvel".

TAUNTAUN SLEEPING BAG

Here's your chance to live out your fantasy of sleeping inside the belly of a Tauntaun, just like in the film, The Empire Strikes Back, but without all the bloody entrails. ThinkGeek created this fun Tauntaun sleeping bag.

In the sub-zero wasteland of the planet Hoth, only the strong survive... and of course those lucky Jedi protected by the thick skin of a Tauntaun. Now after exhaustive movie viewing research and analysis ThinkGeek Labs has isolated the exact synthetic compounds needed to re-create Tauntaun fur. What have we done with this supreme knowledge? Created a Tauntaun sleeping bag of course.

This high-quality sleeping bag looks just like a Tauntaun, complete with saddle, internal intestines and glowing lightsaber zipper pull. Now when your kids tell you their favorite Star Wars movie is "Attack of the Clones" you can nestle the wee-ones snug in simulated Tauntaun fur while regaling them with the amazing tale of "Empire Strikes Back".

Use the glowing lightsaber zipper pull on the Tauntaun sleeping bag to illustrate how Han Solo saved Luke Skywalker from certain death in the freezing climate of Hoth by slitting open the belly of a dead Tauntaun and placing Luke inside the stinking (but warm) carcass. If your kids don't change their tune on which Star Wars film is the greatest ever, you can do your best Jar Jar impression until they repent.

What a great idea. Now I can snuggle inside my Tauntaun sleeping bag while wearing my Star Wars pajamas and dream about Princess Leia in her slave bikini.

I'M YOUR BOYFRIEND NOW, NANCY

Platinum Dunes recently announced a reboot for A Nightmare on Elm Street. Christopher Johnson was inspired to create his own trailer for the film which could also serve as a useful demo reel for his agent. Very impressive for a fan production.

APRIL CALENDAR GIRL

April is off to a good start with the Rancher's Daughter from a 1953 Ballyhoo Calendar. Click for bigger.

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE ONLINE

An early print of X-Men Origins: Wolverine has been leaked onto the internet. Apparently it's a high quality print of the film and available through bittorrent sites as well as other websites. As you can imagine, 20th Century Fox is not happy about this and issued the following statement:

"Last night, a stolen, incomplete and early version of X-Men Origins: Wolverine was posted illegally on a website. It was without many effects, had missing and unedited scenes and temporary sound and music. We immediately contacted the appropriate legal authorities and had it removed. We forensically mark our content so we can identify sources that make it available or download it. The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law – the courts have handed down significant criminal sentences for such acts in the past. The FBI and the MPAA also are actively investigating this crime. We are encouraged by the support of fansites condemning this illegal posting and pointing out that such theft undermines the enormous efforts of the filmmakers and actors, and above all, hurts the fans of the film."

Personally, I think I'm going to be hurt by forking out my money and actually watching this film on the big screen. The movie looks pretty bad and I've already heard several fanboys complaining about the way Deadpool is to be portrayed in the film. Oh well, at least I have Star Trek to look forward to the following week.

MAGNOLIA PICTURES HATES BLOGGERS

Wow, Magnolia Pictures really values their customers. Icons of Fright did a report about the subtitle changes from the theatrical release of the film, Let the Right One In, to the DVD version, showing side-by-side comparisons of how the subtitles were dumbed down, cutting out the dark humor of the film. Magnolia Pictures responded, saying they would correct the problem by adding theatrical subtitles as an option of future pressings of the DVD but would not offer exchanges to customers (like me) who had already purchased the DVD. Nice, huh? Well, it gets better.

A comment post at Icons of Fright gives the response

about the topic of the subtitles that Magnolia Pictures sent to Mongrel Media, the company handling the Canadian release of the film.

"Yes the bloggers are having a field day on this one. Normally they like to pick on the English Dub tracks, but in this case it’s the subtitles. Obviously online tend to get rowdy and bandwagon mentality without knowing all the details. The current subtitle track is not altering the context of the film at all, in fact it’s a more literal translation than any prior version of subtitles. It’s not a defective or faulty subtitle file. Just more literal and larger in size for the small screen. Both English and Spanish subtitle files were produced for this dvd release. Frankly it’s not all that uncommon to have the subs vary from prior releases, typically go unnoticed as subs are purely a translation of film dialogue. This wouldn’t have been a blip had it not been for one particular horror blog doing a side by side and claiming that they are wrong. They are not. We are not doing a recall or anything of that nature, again, these are not defective. Title came out two weeks ago and general public don’t notice and don’t care – bloggers are well known for jumping on something, making an issue of it and moving on. We have decided that based on the feedback that we will be making a running change, so that going forward (once inventories deplete), we will be making that subtitle version available. Options in set up will be; English Subtitles / English (theatrical) Subtitles / Spanish Subtitles”

Now that's customer satisfaction. Not only do the discs have the wrong subtitles but their customers are "rowdy" and mindless, jumping on any "bandwagon". To be honest, I wasn't that angry about the subtitles, even though I bought the DVD the day it was released. Sure I was disappointed, but as an avid fan of foreign movies, I'm used to wrong subtitles and even misspellings in the Asian films. But I'm baffled by Magnolia Picture's disdain for their customers. An exchange should have immediately been offered for the corrected disc but now I believe another apology is in order.

COVER OF THE WEEK

Irreedemable, #1, BOOM! Studios

A SUCKER BORN EVERY MINUTE

Last week I fell in love with the variant issue of Wonder Woman #30. The cover art by Joshua Middleton jumps off the page and dares you not to pick the issue up. I railed against variant comic books, saying I'd never buy one. Well, I'm a liar. Today when I was picking up my weekly fix of comic books, I couldn't resist and bought my very first variant comic book. A fool and his money... a fool and his money.

HALLELUJAH

Can I get an amen? Ben Affleck is done making super hero movies. I said, can I get an amen?!? Ben Affleck recently told MTV that he was finished making super hero films after his experience on the movie, Daredevil.

“No, I would not do another,” he said, insisting that he’s sworn off comic-book films for good. “I was cured of that.”

Technically, 2003’s “Daredevil” was something of a success, grossing $103 million at the box-office. It and the fans — have not been kind to Mark Steven Johnson’s “Daredevil,” and whether it was the people he worked with or the people who panned the film, he’s clear about his displeasure over the whole damn “Daredevil” fiasco.

“That experience was not that much fun,” he said frankly. “And it’s not something I’m particularly looking to go through again.”

“One of the things about doing [a superhero movie] is that…” he began, then corrected himself. “No, that is not something I would want to do.”

Now if he would just quit being in movies. You'll noticed I didn't say "quit acting in movies". I think the entire world would shout amen if he'd make that announcement.

BOLDLY GO

When you boldly go from this mortal coil, your remains can stored in this out of the world Star Trek urn. See what I did there? "Out of this world"? Anyway, Eternal Image is now offering Star Trek urns and caskets, available later this year. The urns are designed on the styling the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet with the caskets resembling a photon torpedo. You can order yours here.

IRON MAN 2 FILMING TO BEGIN

Director Jon Favreau posted on his Twitter page that the cast for Iron Man 2 is in LA and shooting will begin Monday, April 6th. Here's hoping this isn't an April Fool's Joke.