Getting Caught Up: October 2009

When I have the chance to go through my RSS feeds, I find things that don’t deserve a full review, but are still interesting enough to mention. This article collects them, lets it sit in my draft folder until the last “free day” of the month, and gives it all to you in one big posting. So in case you missed it this month…

comics

• Comics writing legend Dennis O’Neil taught a series of classes at New York University. A preview of those classes was posted at Bleeding Cool each week. Here is week 1, with more to come (actually, it probably already has).
• Snell of Slay, Monstrobot of the Deep did a look back at the history of Annuals.
• RUMOR ALERT! DC may be changing coasts. I don’t consider that a positive.
• Apple adds digital comics to it’s plan to rule the world! And here’s another article about digital comics.
• I just checked my own copy of the Astonishing X-Men Sketchbook and Rich Johnson is right! Explains why they all disappeared from the comic store.
• Graeme McMillan of IO9 examines why super-powered zombies just don’t work.
• A report from Diamond Publishing’s Summit.
• Japanese comic company Kodansha is setting up in New York, but won’t stop licensing their manga to other distributors.
• Comic and entertainment news site Newsarama has new owners, TopTenREVIEWS.
• I’m not sure if this should be in comics or television, but Aniboom has put up the five finalists in their Marvel Motion Comics contest.
• An old interview by Stan Lee with…Rob Liefeld?
• Mirage Studios sold off their origin property, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, recently. What does that mean for Mirage?

television

• News from the Doctor Who front. The Doctor’s face may be returning to the opening credits, as they did from Patrick Troughton’s years until the end of the original series under Sylvester McCoy. This was not the case for the Paul McGann TV movie, or the current series. The more I hear about what Moffat wants to do with the series, the happier I am that he’s in charge now. Here’s a look at the previous opening credits.

• Siskoid’s Blog of Geekery took its own look at the theme songs throughout the years as well as the logos of Whos past. (I also did that one here.)
• News from Toon Zone: Marvel Comics is giving their website readers a look into Marvel Animation Studios with character models, background sketches, and more.
• More news: Variety and the Hollywood Reporter take two different looks at kids programming convention MIPCON jr.
• Speaking of cartoon spinoff backstage news, Toon Zone blogger Harley takes a look at the opening credits for Batman Beyond. And I disagree with him. It sounded like a cool concept to me.
• Toon Zone interviews voice acting master Michael Bell about his time as the voice of Plastic Man.
• One of my favorite shows from my youth will soon hit DVD. Hanna-Barbera’s All-Star Laff-A-Lymipcs!
• Remember Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman? It started out OK, and just went downhill from there. Well, the creator of that show, Deborah Joy Levine, wanted give Wonder Woman the same treatment. (h/t: Blog @ Newsarama.)
• Toon Zone blogger Ed Liu examines what I consider one of the best anime theme songs ever, if not the best, Cowboy Bebop.
• Is there something behind the current volunteer-based storylines in some shows? Big Hollywood‘s Patrick Courrielche was interviewed by CNN, but some details were left out of their news story. (Note: The BW Media Spotlight, which is just me, is all in favor of volunteering, even if I don’t have the time or guts in some cases to do so myself. I give money to organizations that do.)

movies

• One more from TZ’s blog: Speedy Boris takes a look at what he considers the top 10 underrated Bugs Bunny cartoons. Some of my favorites are on that list. (I put this here because Loony Tunes and Merry Melodies used to be theatrical shorts. Remembered that?)
• The Bible will be the source of two different productions. Producer Peter Cherin wants to remake the story of Moses. Meanwhile, the producer of faith-based movies Defeating the Giants and Fireproofed is putting together a new movie being releases by Vivendi Entertainment.

video games

• Bungie Studios, the game company responsible for the Halo franchise, is losing a few members. They plan to create a company that focuses on downloadable games.
• X-Play host and G4 Editor-In-Chief Adam Sessler focused one of his Sessler’s Soapbox videos on storytelling in gaming.

in other news

• Former Doctor Who producer Barry Letts has passed away, as has wrestling legend Captain Lou Albano and comedic legend Soupy Sales. Also Frank Coghlan, Jr., who played Billy Batson in the old (and highly recommended viewing) Republic serial The Adventures of Captain Marvel, based on what we all know as Shazam!.
• Jerzy Drozd of Art & Story responded via AudioBoo to an e-mail I sent him after listening to one of his “Extreme” postings (I’m pretty sure it was this one) about digital comics. (I’m still catching up on their shows.) This time, he actually gave the address! Hey, I think I’m allowed to brag now and then. 🙂
• The Justice League take a look at Halloween costumes based on their costumes. At least according to Blog @ Newsarama.

And so ends October. Coming up: The first year anniversary of the BW Media Spotlight.