KATE LETH AND JAKE MYLER DANCE THEIR CARES AWAY WITH ‘FRAGGLE ROCK: JOURNEY TO THE EVERSPRING’

July 9, 2014Rob Leave a Comment

KATE LETH AND JAKE MYLER DANCE THEIR CARES AWAY WITH ‘FRAGGLE ROCK: JOURNEY TO THE EVERSPRING’
FR Journey to the Everspring #1 Cover A

FRAGGLE ROCK: JOURNEY TO THE EVERSPRING #1 Main Cover by Jake Myler
FR Journey to the Everspring #1 Cover B

FRAGGLE ROCK: JOURNEY TO THE EVERSPRING #1 Incentive Cover by Jake Myler and The Jim Henson Company Archives

July 8, 2014 – Los Angeles, CA – Archaia, an award-winning imprint of BOOM! Studios, and The Jim Henson Company, an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years, invite you to “dance your cares away” with the all-new, comic book limited series FRAGGLE ROCK: JOURNEY TO THE EVERSPRING. Ever since publishing two FRAGGLE ROCK anthology collections of short stories with The Jim Henson Company several years ago, the publisher has been eager to tell one big, epic, Fraggle-tastic tale. New York Times bestselling author Kate Leth (ADVENTURE TIME: SEEING RED, BRAVEST WARRIORS) teams up with FRAGGLE ROCK veteran artist Jake Myler (FRAGGLE ROCK, Orphan Blade) for a fun story that new and longtime fans alike can enjoy.

“It’s so much fun to go to conventions and have people stop at the booth and gasp, ‘That’s Fraggle Rock!’ There are so many fans out there who have grown up loving Wembley, Red, and all of the Fraggles,” said BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “Jim Henson created something timeless with Fraggle Rock, and with Archaia’s return to single issues going strong with titles like HACKTIVIST and THE LAST BROADCAST, we thought this was the perfect all-ages title to add to the mix. Kate and Jake are the perfect team, and the Fraggles are going on one of their greatest adventures yet.”

The Fraggles will adventure to places they’ve never been before, places where Gobo, Red, Mokey, Wembley, and Boober will meet brand-new friends, sing brand-new songs, and dance their cares away! Whether it’s ADVENTURE TIME, MOUSE GUARD, or Amulet ,comics fans are coming out for all-ages stories. No one mastered that art form quite like Jim Henson, and the characters of FRAGGLE ROCK remain some of his most beloved creations. Leth and Myler have spun a hilarious, super fun story for both longtime fans and comic readers of all ages who’ve yet to meet this lovable gang of Fraggles.

When the water supply of Fraggle Rock mysteriously runs dry, the Fraggles have to journey deep into the caves of Fraggle Rock to find the fabled Everspring where adventure awaits and no Fraggle has gone before!

Archaia’s FRAGGLE ROCK: JOURNEY TO THE EVERSPRING #1 (of 4) arrives in comic shops on October 8th with a cover price of $3.99. The main cover will be illustrated by series artist Jake Myler, with a retailer incentive cover by Jake Myler and The Jim Henson Company Archives. Not sure where to find your nearest comic retailer? Use comicshoplocator.com or findacomicshop.com to find one!

ABOUT BOOM! STUDIOS

Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning “Best Publisher” BOOM! Studios (boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of best-selling Eisner and Harvey Award-winning original and licensed comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent. BOOM! Studios is the home of Mike Carey’s SUICIDE RISK, Clive Barker’s NEXT TESTAMENT and HELLRAISER, Paul Jenkins and Humberto Ramos’ FAIRY QUEST, PLANET OF THE APES, Max Bemis’ POLARITY and Mark Waid’s IRREDEEMABLE. Steven Grant’s graphic novel 2 GUNS was recently released as a feature film from Universal Pictures, starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. BOOM!’s all-ages imprint KaBOOM! publishes Charles Schulz’ PEANUTS, Jim Davis’ GARFIELD, Cartoon Network’s ADVENTURE TIME and REGULAR SHOW, Mike Kunkel’s HEROBEAR AND THE KID, and Roger Langridge’s Eisner Award-winning SNARKED. In June 2013, BOOM! acquired Archaia Entertainment (archaia.com). Archaia is the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning graphic novel publisher of MOUSE GUARD, COW BOY, GUNNERKRIGG COURT, RUST, SPERA, JIM HENSON’S TALE OF SAND, and many other great titles. In October 2013, BOOM! Studios entered into a unique first-look relationship with 20th Century Fox, giving the studio access to its library of titles and giving the publisher access to Fox’s vast catalog of films.

About The Jim Henson Company

The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include the Emmy® nominated Sid the Science Kid, Dinosaur Train, and Pajanimals as well as the new series Doozers, a CG animated preschool series. Features include the upcoming Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, and MirrorMask. Television productions include Fraggle Rock, the sci-fi cult series Farscape, and the new reality competition Jim Henson’s Creature Shop Challenge.

With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities, the Company is also home to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television, theme park and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry’s top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company’s Henson Alternative brand is currently touring “Puppet-Up! – Uncensored,” a live puppet improvisational show.

http://www.henson.com https://www.facebook.com/farscape www.facebook.com/hensoncompany

DARK HORSE UNVEILS THE 2014 CONVENTION EXCLUSIVE GAME OF THRONES® ITEMS!

July 9, 2014Rob Leave a Comment

DARK HORSE UNVEILS THE 2014 CONVENTION EXCLUSIVE GAME OF THRONES® ITEMS!

MILWAUKIE, OR – Following up on last week’s announcement of the first wave of Dark Horse’s 2014 Comic-Con exclusives comes the full slate of exclusive items based on the massively popular HBO series Game of Thrones! We have created not one, not two, but all three of Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons, an exclusive new map marker, and a new shield wall plaque! These items will make their debut at Comic-Con International, when doors open to the public on July 23!

Game of Thrones: Convention Exclusive Bolton Map Marker

4″ tall hand-painted polyresin Bolton Map Marker. In Game of Thrones, we see Robb Stark plotting the movements of opposing armies using a map of Westeros and a set of map markers, each hewn into a representation of one of the house symbols. With our Map Marker Set, we have reproduced these items in their true size, using the actual props as reference. This limited-edition Bolton Map Marker is an additional piece only available at San Diego Comic-Con International.

Price: $25.00
Production Run: 1,200
Limit: Two per person

Game of Thrones: Convention Exclusive Lannister Shield Wall Plaque

Limited-edition 8″ x 5″ polyresin replica of Lannister shield. Packaged in full-color box. Includes hook for wall mounting.

Price: $30.00
Production Run: 2,300
Limit: Two per person

Game of Thrones: Convention Exclusive Dragon—Drogon

3″ tall, 6″ wingspan limited-edition pewter replica of Drogon, the black dragon commanded by Daenerys Targaryen.

Price: $35.00 each / $90.00 for Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion
Production Run: 1,250
Limit: Five per person

Game of Thrones: Convention Exclusive Dragon—Rhaegal

3″ tall, 6″ wingspan limited-edition pewter replica of Rhaegal, the emerald green and bronze dragon commanded by Daenerys Targaryen.

Price: $35.00 each / $90.00 for Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion
Production Run: 1,250
Limit: Five per person

Game of Thrones: Convention Exclusive Dragon—Viserion

3″ tall, 6″ wingspan limited-edition pewter replica of Viserion, the cream-colored dragon commanded by Daenerys Targaryen.

Price: $35.00 each / $90.00 for Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion
Production Run: 1,250
Limit: Five per person

CARTOON NETWORK’S UNCLE GRANDPA SAYS ‘GOOD MORNIN’!’ TO KABOOM!

July 9, 2014Rob Leave a Comment

CARTOON NETWORK’S UNCLE GRANDPA SAYS ‘GOOD MORNIN’!’ TO KABOOM!

UNCLE GRANDPA #1 Main Cover by Bob Flynn

July 9, 2014 – Los Angeles, CA – Earlier this year, KaBOOM!, an award-winning imprint of publisher BOOM! Studios, and Cartoon Network Enterprises, the licensing and merchandising arm of the network, announced their newest all-ages title based on the hit Cartoon Network series, UNCLE GRANDPA. Now, the companies are excited to announce further details of the comic series, including the release date and the creative team, which includes Zac Gorman (ADVENTURE TIME), Kevin Burkhalter (REGULAR SHOW), Pranas Naujokaitis (REGULAR SHOW), Jimmy Giegerich (REGULAR SHOW 2014 ANNUAL), and more.

Following the announcement of the publisher’s first-look deal with Cartoon Network Enterprises in March, UNCLE GRANDPA is the latest property to be encompassed by the new partnership, joining previously announced titles STEVEN UNIVERSE and THE AMAZING WORLD OF GUMBALL. This MAD Magazine-style series will feature zany shorts, games, and strips starring Uncle Grandpa, Pizza Steve, Mr. Gus, and all of the other crazy characters from the hit Cartoon Network show created by Emmy® Award nominee Peter Browngardt.

“This creative lineup for UNCLE GRANDPA is a powerhouse team, especially within this experimental and unique format,” said BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “Having some of our brightest KaBOOM! veterans play in this world is going to ensure the very best (and craziest) adventures with Uncle Grandpa, Pizza Joe, and all of our favorite characters from the show.”

At its core, Uncle Grandpa is a show about everyone’s magical uncle and grandpa who travels around the world in a mystical RV. His mission is to help people wherever, however, and whenever they need it. Through his childlike and innocent ways, he finds unusual solutions to everyday situations. An eternal optimist, Uncle Grandpa’s glass is always full of something delicious and he’s always ready to greet the day (and everything and everyone) with his signature, “GOOD MORNIN’!” Uncle Grandpa debuted on Cartoon Network last September as the #1 telecast of the week among boys 6-11. Uncle Grandpa airs on Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).

UNCLE GRANDPA #1 arrives in comic shops from KaBOOM! on October 1st with a cover price of $3.99. The main cover is illustrated by Bob Flynn. Not sure where to find your nearest comic retailer? Use comicshoplocator.com or findacomicshop.com to find one!

ABOUT BOOM! STUDIOS Founded by Ross Richie in 2005, Diamond Gem Award-winning “Best Publisher” BOOM! Studios (boom-studios.com) generates a constellation of best-selling Eisner and Harvey Award-winning original and licensed comic books and graphic novels with the industry’s top talent. BOOM! Studios is the home of Mike Carey’s SUICIDE RISK, Clive Barker’s NEXT TESTAMENT and HELLRAISER, Paul Jenkins and Humberto Ramos’ FAIRY QUEST, PLANET OF THE APES, Max Bemis’ POLARITY and Mark Waid’s IRREDEEMABLE. Steven Grant’s graphic novel 2 GUNS was recently released as a feature film from Universal Pictures, starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. BOOM!’s all-ages imprint KaBOOM! publishes Charles Schulz’ PEANUTS, Jim Davis’ GARFIELD, Cartoon Network’s ADVENTURE TIME and REGULAR SHOW, Mike Kunkel’s HEROBEAR AND THE KID, and Roger Langridge’s Eisner Award-winning SNARKED. In June 2013, BOOM! acquired Archaia Entertainment (archaia.com). Archaia is the Eisner and Harvey Award-winning graphic novel publisher of MOUSE GUARD, COW BOY, GUNNERKRIGG COURT, RUST, SPERA, JIM HENSON’S TALE OF SAND, and many other great titles. In October 2013, BOOM! Studios entered into a unique first-look relationship with 20th Century Fox, giving the studio access to its library of titles and giving the publisher access to Fox’s vast catalog of films.

ABOUT CARTOON NETWORK ENTERPRISES Cartoon Network Enterprises (CNE) is responsible for building consumer products and merchandising programs for a wide range of brands by securing and supporting long-term licensing partnerships across all categories. As the global branding and merchandising arm of Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, the division manages the consumer product programs for the networks’ award-winning original programming, brands and characters including Ben 10, Adventure Time, Regular Show, The Amazing World of Gumball, The Powerpuff Girls, Adult Swim and more. CNE also serves as the exclusive global licensing agent for LazyTown Entertainment and the PGA of America for the youth marketplace.

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com) is regularly the #1 U.S. television network in primetime among boys 6-11 & 9-14. Currently seen in 99 million U.S. homes and 194 countries around the world, Cartoon Network is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service now available in HD offering the best in original, acquired and classic entertainment for kids and families. In addition to Emmy-winning original programming and industry-leading digital apps and online games, Cartoon Network embraces key social issues affecting families with solution-oriented initiatives such as Stop Bullying: Speak Up and the Move It Movement.

CD PROJEKT RED AND DARK HORSE PRESENT THE WORLD OF THE WITCHER

July 9, 2014Rob Leave a Comment

CD PROJEKT RED AND DARK HORSE PRESENT THE WORLD OF THE WITCHER

Pre-order The World of the Witcher

CD PROJEKT RED and Dark Horse Comics are proud to announce The World of The Witcher–an essential companion to The Witcher video game series!

Containing breathtaking, never before published original art from each Witcher game, The World of the Witcher is an ideal way to start your journey with the series, or expand your existing knowledge with high collector value! Dive deep into the world of monster hunters, as the prominent characters from the universe take you on a guided tour of the fascinating dark fantasy adventure that is The Witcher. This gorgeous, illustrated hardbound volume contains in-depth knowledge about the locales, the deadly beasts that inhabit them, and the lethal weapons used to put them down.

“Dark Horse is very enthusiastic about expanding our collaboration CD Projekt Red on The World of The Witcher,” notes Nick McWhorter, Vice President of Media Licensing at Dark Horse Comics. “This book is a perfect way for fans to take a deep dive into the vast and compelling lore they have created with The Witcher franchise, whether they are longtime followers of the games and novels or are being introduced this world for the first time.”

“The World of the Witcher is really unique, as it’s the first successful attempt of creating such a comprehensive compendium about the Witcher series of games and beyond,” said Rafał Jaki, Franchise Director, CD PROJEKT RED. “I’m sure gamers and fans of the universum will have tons of fun reading it,” added Jaki.

The World of the Witcher is on sale February 24th, 2015.

About CD PROJEKT RED
CD PROJEKT RED is a development studio established in 2002 and based in Warsaw and Cracow, Poland. Creators of The Witcher and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings. Both RPGs were praised by critics and fans, gathering over 200 awards and selling over 7 million copies to date. Originally a PC developer, CD PROJEKT RED has also released The Witcher on Mac and The Witcher 2 on Xbox 360, PC and Mac. The studio is now working on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, a fantasy RPG with a character-driven, non-linear story set in a vast, open world. The game will be released February 24th, 2015 on Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, Playstation®4 and PC. The developer is also working on Cyberpunk 2077 in collaboration with Mike Pondsmith, the original designer of the pen-and-paper Cyberpunk® futuristic RPG system in which the upcoming game is set. CD PROJEKT RED’s mission is to take the passion they have for games and harness it to make the best RPGs in the world. Along with GOG.COM, the Internet’s leading destination for the best DRM-Free games in history on PC and Mac, CD PROJEKT RED is part of the Warsaw Stock Exchange listed (ISIN: PLOPTTC00011) CD PROJEKT Group.

For more information contact
Tomasz Tinc tomasz.tinc@cdprojektred.com
Tracy Williams tracy.williams@cdprojektred.com
Michal Platkow-Gilewski michal.platkow-gilewski@cdprojektred.com

About Dark Horse Comics
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, Guillermo Del Toro and comics legends such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties such as The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, EVE: Online, Halo, Serenity, Game of Thrones and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.

Comic book review: Big Trouble In Little China

July 8, 2014Rob Leave a Comment

By Robert “Rob Base” Greenwood

Boom studios has release issue one of an on going series based on the cult hit Big Trouble In Little China. IF and I do mean IF you have never seen this film watch below.

The comic takes place after the events of the film.

Jack is in his truck and runs head deep into a giant yet lovable demon who is now bound to him. The reason why has to do with the ending events of the movie.

He heads back to Chinatown to help rid him of his new “best friend” but upon arrival he learns that the only way to get rid of the demon is for Jack to die. In typical film style bad guys crash the party causing a big battle to erupt and a new villain emerges.

being this is the first issue I will let go a lot of what I feel makes this book weak and just wait to see where it is going. It does try really hard to capture the movies fun and action but I do feel the art is a weak point in this series and could have

benefited with a better artist. If you really love the film and always wanted to see the future adventures of Jack this is your book.

FHM lingerie model-turned-comics-creator/writer/artist Jinky Coronado’s BANZAI GIRL webcomic comes alive in a full-color graphic novel!

July 8, 2014Rob Leave a Comment

A dozen years ago, around the time Jinky moved to the USA, where she created, wrote, was cover model for, and drew — with colorist Mike Kelleher and co-artist Wilson Tortosa — the series BANZAI GIRL for Sirius Comics and, later, its sequel series BANZAI GIRLS for Arcana Studio.

More recently, Jinky resurrected BANZAI GIRL on Keenspot.com as a serialized webcomic!

Now: Jinky is trying to collect my first BANZAI GIRL series into a big, beautiful, 160-page full-color graphic novel, using Kickstarter ( https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1395445173/banzai-girl-graphic-novel-volume-1-by-jinky-corona ) as a means and this is what she says about it herself: “Although I’m currently drawing PANDORA’s BLOGS and EXPOSURE for Red Giant Entertainment and drew Meg Cabot’s AVALON HIGH graphic novel series at HarperCollins, BANZAI GIRL is my personal project, full of Filipino culture and environments and even characters based on my own family. I’m thrilled with the idea of bringing it back into print.”

BANZAI GIRL – VOLUME 1

Format: Softcover Graphic Novel

Pages: 160 full color pages + Cover

Writer/Artist: Jinky Coronado (w/Wilson Tortosa)

What’s it all about? BANZAI GIRL’s Jinky Coronado is a girl of three worlds; she just doesn’t know it yet. Her nightmares of being both a Princess and a Future Freedom Fighter collide with her real-life as an Asian schoolgirl. Where her biggest obstacles should be homework, boys, and her Dad’s new girlfriend, she is thrust into a world of monsters and madness. An alien invasion possessing her town’s parents! Strange creatures known as the Duwende, the Kapre`, the Tikbalang, and the Manananggal! A schoolgirl-eating snake creature hidden beneath a shopping mall! Jinky becoming a model and recording star! And much more!

As you can see, Jinky tried to create a style for a series that anime` and manga fans would like, from the little schoolgirl uniforms to the oddball mascot character — but she made it very much about the myths and mysteries of her native Philippines and stocked it with people from her real life!

Jinky will be including bonus art from such superstar artists as Mike Deodato, Jr., Will Conrad, Al Rio, Cliff Richards, Adriana Melo, and Playboy’s Dean Yeagle!

What’s more, she’ll be including a whole bunch of bonus stuff, as well — including a photo album and a really cool sketchbook section of behind-the-scenes art.

comic review: codebreakers 1-4

June 18, 2014Rob Leave a Comment

by Shawn Morales

Codebreakers #1

Ciphers. Codes. Encryption. Passwords. Meet the best of the best elite Cryptanalysis Unit of the F.B.I. as they puzzle out the truth and protect all of us from those that would steal information in ways that can shatter the global community. But what happens to the Cryptanalysis Unit when one of their own goes missing? Is this a puzzle the puzzle-solvers can’t solve? And will this cipher reveal things about themselves?

Welcome to Noob Reviews today I am reviewing Codebreakers #1 . This series is about a squad of so called “codebreakers” in this issue we get a brief intro to the team, a bunch of seemingly genius level analyst and there “handler” who im guessing becomes the muscle they will no doubt need because one of the codebreakers is captured and the government secrets are in danger oh no! Yeah this ao far sounds like a recycled plot line with nothing special to make me want to read the next issue (even though I will).

Rating 2/5

Lets hope this old dry plot has a big twist in issue #2

Codebreakers #2

Another Codebreakers review and let me tell you it hasn’t gotten any better than the first issue, more recylced plot with motive-less characters and nothing to keep me reading (except that I said I would) Ill tell you one code that needs to be broken how did this series get sent to print?

Rating 2/5

If you like cheesy hollow stories oh boy is Codebreakers the series for you!

Codebreakers #3

Here we go again the 3rd issue in this dull but thankfully short series. Ok so the problem with having such short series is that you have to cram all the backstory and plot into 20 or so pages and its hard to pull off for anyone. Codebreakers does a poor job of making you care for the characters I can barley remember any of there names! but in this issue I will say they did a good job of melding the flashbacks with the ongoing story all though the “big twist” was easy to call the balance between action and the flashback made this bad series somewhat bearable even if only for a moment.

Rating 3/5

Good story telling, bad story.

Codebreakers #4

Its over its finally over thank the heavens! Let me not waste time here I’ll make this short (like all my other post really) it all ends in a convenient happy ending for a bunch of characters we don’t care about anyway. I can see no reason to pick up this series unless you enjoy a series filled with spy troupes executed at the skill level of a 13 year old.

Rating 1/5

Way to end an already disappointing series with disappoint .

Series Verdict

Analyze-Read-Skim-Pass

SENYCC: WWE Superstar Batista Interview

June 16, 2014Julian Cannon 1 Comment

WWE Superstar “The Animal” Batista was at the Special Edition of New York Comic Con last weekend and I with a few others had the opportunity to interview him. He is also co-starring in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” as he plays as Drax the Destroyer. The film will be released on August 1, 2014

SO BATISTA, YOU HAVE RETURNED TO THE WWE AFTER AN 4 YEAR ABSCNECE, WHAT IS THE LOCKER ROOM LIKE NOW COMPARED TO 4 YEARS AGO?

“Well not much has changed really except for the new hungry kids from NXT I have seen for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Guys like Adrian Neville, Sami Zayn, The Ascension and many more young guys who want to come up to the main roster, NXT is the future of this business and just like guys like me, John Cena, Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar, we went through the system in OVW. But to end the question, the locker room has been great to me.”

NOW YOU HAVE HAD MANY MATCHES AT WRESTLEMANIA, IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE TWO OF THOSE MATCHES AS YOU’RE FAVORITES, WHAT WOULD THOSE MATCHES BE?

“(Laughs) well the first one would be against The Undertaker at WrestleMania 23 because we stole the show on that night. When his music hits and he made his entrance, I was a bit nervous. But I was happy that we tore the house down and he trusted me. Undertaker is a good friend of mines and we have that chemistry that some others have in the ring. I would also say that my feud with him that year was one of my personal favorites as well. My second favorite is the match against Triple H at WrestleMania 21. He was the teacher and I was the student. I felt the buildup was great and the match was great. We both beat each other up in that classic match. People can say what they want about Triple H but he is the true ring general and he wants to see the younger talent go up to the level that he was.”

THAT IS GREAT TO HEAR BATISTA. NOW YOU WERE PART OF EVOLUTION FOR A FEW YEARS, FROM YOU’RE VIEW, WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?

“Evolution to me was great. I can tell you that it was also an learning experience too. You have Ric Flair who is one of the greatest champions of all time and Triple H who is (at that point) becoming the greatest of all time and beginning to submit his legacy, and me and Randy Orton being groomed to becoming the next faces of the WWE. Most factions like DX or NWO Didn’t have the younger stars setting out to be ready for the main event scene with the exception of Triple H. This is what is missing with factions these days. But look at The Shield. Those 3 guys ( Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns) can work their butts off and I love working with the 3 of them. Those 3 will have a great future.”

YOU ARE STARRING IN MARVEL’S “GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY” AS “Drax the Destroyer”, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT PLAYING THIS COMIC CHARACTER WHEN MARVEL SIGNED YOU?

“I have been a fan of Marvel Comics and playing Drax has been a great experience. Originally it was going to be either Isaiah Mustafa, Patrick Wade or Jason Momoa but I was selected. The movie has ties to The Avengers and will connect to other Marvel movies in the future. Drax is a human resurrected as a green warrior for the sole purpose of killing Thanos (the villain in the final-scene tease of Avengers). His powers include flight, super-strength and energy blasts and when the movie premiers in the United States, everyone will see how I will pull the character off. but it was very fun and Chris Pratt was a great guy to work with as well. The makeup took very long to put on though. I believe it was about 4 hours and after we were finished shooting, and then it took nearly 90 minutes to take it all off of me.”

WHAT ARE YOU’RE THOUGHTS ON THE WWE NETWORK?

“The WWE Network is great, I have waited a long time for it to finally launch. For Fans who have never seen what the days of the WWE or WCW was like in the 1980’s or early 1990’s, you need to check the stuff out. It is not only great stuff and matches, but it also educates the fans of the superstars of yesterday who were big such as Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, Paul Orndorff, The British Bulldogs, Andre’ The Giant and many more. There is a lot of variety for the fans to watch and the Network can change the way we all watch TV very soon. Even a lot of my matches are on the WWE Network right now as we speak.”

IF YOU WOULD BOOK RAW FOR ONE NIGHT, HOW WOULD YOU BOOK IT?

“That is a great question. Well I would not get into the whole details but I would have more in ring wrestling, less segments and little comedy. I think the fans would want that too so that way it can balance everything in a good flow. I left a few years ago due to me not agreeing with the direction with the company that it was going too. But now I am happy to be back.”

YOU HAVE RECIEVED MUCH HEAT FROM THE FANS SINCE THE ROYAL RUMBLE, DO YOU LET THAT BOTHER YOU WHILE YOU ARE IN MATCHES AT ALL?

“When I came back earlier this year, it was one of the best moments of my career. I went into the Rumble match and won it and I got booed out the arena. The names such as “Bluetista” or “Bootista” does not bother me. If the fans were in my shoes getting that kind of reception, they would either take it as it is or let that distract them. Whether the fans cheer or boo, I do not care at all as long as I am getting an reaction. It is better than no reaction at all because if you were in the ring with dead silence from the crowd, then that is a problem. Some fans take the sport too seriously with them attacking other fans and wrestlers on twitter and I can say that it has gotten out of hand, but the fans can say whatever they want.”

TO END THE INTERVIEW, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO GET INTO WRESTLING? “Yes I do. if this is for you, go for it. What we do in that ring, we do it for about 300 days a year. You have to have the passion to succeed and to be happy wrestling. Don’t let anybody tell you that you cannot do it because if you believe that you can do it, you will make it. When I was training in the WCW Power Plant, some of the trainers thought I would not make it. but I proved them wrong once I got trained more in WWE. There are other promotions out there but the WWE is the MLB of wrestling. Every night feels like the World Series and WrestleMania is the one major show you would want to make it too. Dreams come true if you stick to what you are planning and what you want to get out of it.”

Follow me on twitter @julianexcalibur

send me email to: Julian@alternativemindz.com

KABOOM! CELEBRATES TWO YEARS OF THE FAT CAT WITH OVERSIZED ‘GARFIELD’ #25

April 8, 2014Rob Leave a Comment

KaBOOM!, an award-winning imprint of publisher BOOM! Studios, is excited to announce the May debut of a special oversized issue of GARFIELD #25 that celebrates its two-year anniversary of producing Garfield comics. Created by Jim Davis, veteran GARFIELD contributing writers and artists Mark Evanier, Andy Hirsch, Scott Nickel, and David DeGrand bring you two fun-filled stories of the Fat Cat and all of his friends. This issue also features a variant cover from legendary creator George Pérez (The Avengers, Wonder Woman), as well as pin-ups by artists Courtney Bernard and Genevieve FT.

“When we first started publishing GARFIELD comics two years ago we were honored to carry on the tradition of telling stories with such an iconic character,” said BOOM! Studios Editor-in-Chief Matt Gagnon. “Today, with this special anniversary issue, that energy and excitement has only grown stronger. We look forward to many more years of great comics with our favorite Monday-hating feline.”

We’ve spent an amazing two years with Garfield and the gang, so of course we’re going to celebrate by bringing you an extra-large-sized anniversary issue containing two, all-new jumbo stories! First, Mark Evanier and Andy Hirsch team up to tell a tale of a very special day in Garfield’s life. Then, Scott Nickel and David DeGrand bring us the return of Garfield’s food foes—this time, they’ve joined forces to take down the Fat Cat once and for all!

GARFIELD #25 arrives in comic shops on May 7th with a cover by Gary Barker for the price of $4.99 under Diamond order code MAR141003. A retailer incentive cover by George Pérez is available in limited quantities. Not sure where to find your nearest comic retailer? Use comicshoplocator.com or findacomicshop.com to find one! It’s also available for order directly from boom-studios.com.

Action Lab Entertainment’s Dave Dwonch launches “Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab” on Kickstarter.

April 2, 2014Rob Leave a Comment

Action Lab Entertainment’s Dave Dwonch launches “Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab” on Kickstarter.

Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab is a four issue supernatural crime noir comic series. When a young boy named Michael dies from a gunshot wound in his taxi cab, Cyrus Perkins is thrust to the role of unlikely hero as Michael’s spirit is trapped in his cab. Cyrus must solve his murder, and give him the peace to pass into the afterlife.
Described as part murder mystery and part buddy cop story, Dave’s inspiration for the series comes from an..unusual source.

“Last year, amid several health issues, I misdiagnosed myself with food poisoning. Days later I was being rushed to the hospital in a taxi cab as my body was shutting down. In between bouts of unconsciousness I muttered, “If I die in this cab I’m haunting it.” to the cabbie. This was the inspiration for Cyrus Perkins.” Dave states on his Kickstarter page.

Dave Dwonch has been a comics writer and artist producing indie titles for over a decade. In 2010 he founded Action Lab Entertainment with fellow indie mavericks and as Creative Director for Action Lab helped produce several of their titles including the Eisner nominated series Princeless. Recently he penned several titles, most notably Vamplets (with Gayle “My Little Pony” Middleton), Ghost Town, and CBR’s Top 100 of 2013 series Double Jumpers.

Joining Dave as artist is Anna Lencioni. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, Anna has been working as a sequential artist on such titles as NFL Rush Zone and Miss America. Cyrus Perkins is her first long form project.

“Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab is a 100% creator-owned project, and truly a labor of love. With your help, Anna and I are hoping to cover the production cost of the first issue of the comic. This series is a huge undertaking, and your donations will allow us to take time out of our schedules to produce the fully colored artwork and limited edition Kickstarter Edition of Cyrus Perkins #1.”

Cyrus Perkins and the Haunted Taxi Cab is now on Kickstarter.com ( https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/960202687/cyrus-perkins-and-the-haunted-taxi-cab)
and view the Kickstarter video at ( https://d2pq0u4uni88oo.cloudfront.net/projects/810966/video-359978-h264_high.mp4)