Train-wreck In The Making: The Spirit

Frank Miller's greatness is a passionate topic of debate among comic and movie fans. Many credit him with the major moves foreword in the comics industry within the last twenty years. No one will ever deny the greatness of Sin City and 300, and his contributions to the Batman mythology will always be fondly remembered. That being said, his latest film project, The Spirit, looks to be one of the biggest failures of 2008.

Many will argue that Miller has a good degree of experience adapting comics to film with his work on the set of Sin City. What most people fail to realize is that he only served as a consultant, meaning that he sat next to the director, Robert Rodriguez, and offered him advice on certain scenes. This by no means qualifies him to act as director on The Spirit; early trailers seem to indicate his endeavor to bring his style to the big screen will only end in disaster.

Miller is also attempting to center his gritty story around a character that has always been the furthest thing from dark. The Spirit was a detective who dressed in blue and solved mysteries with the colorful cast of friends and family he had gained over the years; he was a pulp hero that often bordered on campy. Frank Miller is trying to make the character more reminiscent of his Sin City characters: mentally unsound and motivated by a twisted since of morality. I believe if the great Will Eisner were still alive he would be appalled by what is being done to his character. The movie is most likely doomed to fail at the box office; the nature of the film will probably alienate both enthusiasts and the mainstream audience. If the film succeeds in any way, it will only be because some people can't look away from a disaster of a movie.

Marvel Teams Spider-Man with Colbert

Comic book history is filled with bizarre character team-ups, but none have ever reached this level of absurdity. That's right, Spider-Man and Stephen Colbert will be partnering up in Amazing Spider-Man #573. The 8 page story will be set entirely in continuity, marking Colbert's formal introduction into the Marvel Universe. Despite the peculiarity of the premise, no one can deny that this is huge move forward for the comic book industry. It opens the door for future stories involving television personalities, which help in gaining a more mainstream audience. This historic team-up will be hitting the shelves on October 15th.

Talking Comics

The comics industry can be one of the most difficult to succeed in. The target audience isn't as large as other forms of entertainment and monthly sales reflect this. Specialty shops are becoming more and more scarce. Albany is lucky enough to have at least one of these classic stores, J.J.'s Comics & Cards. I recently interviewed one of the store managers to get a better idea of the many processes involved in running their business.

The amount of work required to manage the store can be dizzying, especially with only three employees on staff. Orders for books must be placed at least two months advance, which means meticulously reading through previews for every book ahead of time. Even the best laid plans can go awry though. Scheduling issues can prevent orders from reaching the store on time and as a smaller business J.J.'s may be shorted, receiving less than the specified amount, on their orders if a larger establishment requires more of the product. 

Owning a business also means making hard decisions. No store can carry every book that comes out, sometimes they are required to favor some books over others. J.J.'s chooses to keep their audience broad, avoiding the extremely mature or childish titles in favor of more marketable choices that anyone can enjoy. It is a difficult balance to strike, but choices have to be made. In spite of the hardships their business may face the employees remain optimistic about the future of the industry.

"Every business moves in an arc. We started at the top and we've ridden it to the bottom. Pretty soon the arc will start moving up again."- Store Manger

David Boreanaz as Green Lantern?

This summer was overflowing with movies. The most successful, both critically and financially, were the superhero movies. Rumors have been circulating about a Green Lantern movie for quite awhile. While the movie has been confirmed, very little has been revealed about it. However, concept art from the film was recently leaked and the sketches seem to indicate David Boreanaz as the lead.

This news comes as a delight to many comic and movie fans. Boreanaz has great deal of acting experience with his roles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Bones. He also has a decent amount of experience working with the Green Lantern he character, he provided the voice of Hal Jordan/Green Lantern in the animated movie Justice League: The New Frontier. The news is very promising, Boreanaz's talents will hopefully bring the Hal Jordan character the depth it deserves on the big screen.

Mark Hamill To Voice Joker In Batman: Arkham Asylum

When Batman: Arkham Asylum, a video game based off the popular graphic novel, was first announced, fans quickly demanded Mark Hamill serve as the Joker's voice. Nearly everyone remembers Hamill as Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars trilogy. However, he is better known in some circles as the voice of the Joker in the classic Batman animated series. Warner Bros. has finally confirmed his involvement in the project, Hamill will be bringing back the maniacal laugh that so many grew up with. Now if they could only get Kevin Conroy, voice of Batman on the animated series, involved.

Raimi And McGuire Confirmed For Two More Spidey Films

Spider-Man 3 was a monumental letdown for comic and movie fans alike. The infamous dance scene will haunt moviegoers for years to come. Yet despite an overwhelming number of flaws, the film managed make $890,871,626 worldwide. Sony, unsurprisingly, has decided to continue the franchise with two more installments, with Raimi directing and McGuire reprising his role as Spider-man. There are also rumors circulating the films may be shot back to back, in an effort to cut back on expenses.

The confirmation of future Spider-Man films brings many questions. What villain will the movie focus on? With Kirsten Dunst in rehab will the role of Mary Jane need to be recast? Raimi disappointed many fans with the last Spidey flick, but his past successes are enough to renew the faith of other enthusiasts. Hopefully the next two films will be a return to form for both Raimi and McGuire.

Why read comics?

When people think comics, their thoughts likely turn to men and women wearing brightly colored spandex. While super heroes comics started the industry, and still a major part of it, graphic novels have evolved into something entirely different. Comics have become a new medium for people to explore. They aren't limited by a single genre. Super heroes probably don't draw in the average reader and that's fine; there is something for everyone.

As comics have changed, so have the characters that were first introduced by them. The world of modern super heroes doesn't try and target a younger audience with their more featured titles. The content in these books tend to be much more adult oriented. In the last thirty years Gwen Stacy was murdered by the Green Goblin, Robin was killed by the Joker, and even Dr. Light, a relatively B-list villain, has been written as a rapist in recent years. There have been drastic changes regarding the subject matter of these comics. Super hero books are now mature enough to offer stories that can engage an older audience.

If you can't past the large groups of people running around in tights, there are many other alternative comics to enjoy. Sin City was one of the first books to steer away from the super hero genre, giving its readers gritty, sometimes over the top, noir tales. More recent books, such as Y: The Last Man or The Walking Dead, have grounded themselves in a more realistic world that deals with an otherworldly concept, evoking a somewhat cinematic tone. Others, like Queen and Country and Whiteout, have set themselves completely in the real world, telling stories that blur the lines between fiction and reality. These are only a few examples of the more mainstream comics available.

Comics are not simply a hobby reserved for those who are willing to follow years of continuity and read every issue that comes out. They are an underrated and accessible form of entertainment. There are many different types of graphic novels available at bookstores, comic shops, and internet sites. The only dilemma is finding the genre that suits you.

Don LaFontaine Dies at 68

Tragedy has gripped the film industry. Don LaFontaine, better known as the voice heard in numerous trailers, died Monday of complications due to a collapsed lung. LaFontaine has been doing voice work since 1965 and has served as the voice of over 5000 movie trailers. While few have seen his face, everyone will recognize his voice. The movie world has lost a true icon. Rest in peace Don, you'll be sorely missed.

Original Terminator 2 Trailer

Video Tribute