More Bat appliances

I posted a pic of a groovy lookin' Batman TV last week, but recently came across even more nifty Bat appliances I'd never seen before.

Bat DVD player:


Bat phone:


Bat boombox:


Bat clock:

"Fantastic Four" DVD info and cover art

DVDAnswers has posted the cover art for the "Fantastic Four" DVD, which is due out Dec. 13.

Extras include:
  • Cast commentary.
  • Three deleted scenes
  • A behind-the-scenes featurette with the cast.
  • A making-of featurette.
  • Fox Movie Channel Presents Fantastic Four "Casting Session" and "Making a Scene" segments.
  • Music videos for "Everything Burns" and "Come On Come In."
  • An inside look at "X-Men 3."
  • Theatrical trailer.
  • "Avengers" trailer.

Dark Horse Comics Solicitations for December 2005

13th SON: WORSE THING WAITING #3 (of 4)
On sale December 13, FC, 32pg, $2.99

Created, written, and drawn by horror virtuoso Kelley Jones (Batman,
Deadman, The Dark Horse Book of the Dead, Last Train to Deadsville), The
13th Son tells the story of the world’s ultimate monster hunter—a
creature far more horrific and terrible than any of the monsters it hunts!

The third issue of this nightmarish tale drags readers clawing and
screaming through the darkest realms of the Earth, where an all-out monster
war is on between the Son and his quarry—every vampire, werewolf,
ghoul, and demon on the planet. Meanwhile, the witch who birthed the Son
into this world is acting on nefarious designs of her own, which could
derail the plans of the Son, and send humanity scurrying from the terrors
she seeks to unleash!

AEON FLUX #4 (of 4)
MIKE KENNEDY (W) and TIMOTHY GREEN II (A)
On sale January 4, FC, 32pg, $2.99


The best-laid plans are those that change. The Monican Rebellion’s
scheme to sabotage the Bregnan government’s defoliant cannons must adjust
to a shortened timetable, and flat-out destruction seems their quickest
and best alternative. But Aeon has other priorities as well, namely
finding her mysterious young trainee, Sithandra, and settling matters
properly! No one abhors manipulation more than Aeon, and this is a lesson
anyone who confronts her will remember for the rest of their short
lives…


ALIENS: ORIGINAL SIN NOVEL

MICHAEL JAN FRIEDMAN (W)
Available now!, SC, 300pg, 4 3/16" x 6 3/4", $6.99


In 1979, science fiction and horror were brought together in director
Ridley Scott's classic film Alien. The film follows the crew of a space
cargo-ship, the Nostromo, who land on a hostile planet in response to a
faint SOS only to discover an abandoned ship with a ravenous alien on
board. Alien inspired three movie sequels, and now Aliens: Original Sin
expands further on this classic story, bringing back characters like
Ripley 8, the clone of Lt. Ellen Ripley, and the android Call. It also
sorts out unanswered questions from the movies and raises entirely new
ones. Was it just coincidence that the Nostromo happened to pass by the
desolate planet? Why was the alien on the crashed ship in the first
place? The answers, along with intense action, chilling horror, and even
deeper questions await in suspense virtuoso Michael Jan Friedman's
Aliens: Original Sin.

BERSERK VOLUME 10 TPB
KENTARO MIURA (W/A)
On sale January 25, SC, 240pg, b&w, 5" x 7", $13.95


Warrior supreme Guts has returned, and just in time to save the
weakened Band of the Hawk from certain destruction…and to form an intimate
bond with the beautiful warrior Casca. But job one is to find a way to
free Griffith, the Hawks’ leader, from the dank dungeons and
’round-the-clock tortures of the Hawks’ former benefactor, the King of Midland. But
while the flayed and starved Griffith may be in isolation, he is not
alone. Horrors beyond imagination await Guts and the Hawks in the
catacombs, and those who die may just be the lucky ones!

BILLY THE KID’S OLD TIMEY ODDITIES TPB
ERIC POWELL (W) and KYLE HOTZ (A)
On sale January 11, SC, 104pg, FC, 7" x 10", $13.95


From the Eisner award-winning creator of The Goon comes an
over-the-bigtop horror romp pitting outlaw legend Billy the Kid and a band of
circus "freaks" against the evil machinations of the nefarious Dr.
Frankenstein!

Penned with deranged glee by Powell and illustrated by fan-favorite
horror artist Kyle Hotz (The Agency andThe Hood), Billy The Kid’s Old
Timey Oddities starts with Billy the Kid free to roam America, having faked
his own death. Free, that is, until Fineas Spoule, AKA. The Human
Spider, discovers his secret. Now, afraid of being exposed, Billy finds
himself in the service of a caravan of carnival sideshow performers who
have unfinished business with a mad scientist none other than Victor
Frankenstein himself!

This twisted love child of spaghetti westerns and Hammer horror flicks
combines Powell’s humorous fast-paced storytelling and Hotz’s quirky
macabre visuals for a story that the whole family will love…if they’re
the kind of family that love alligator men and miniature boys fighting
monstrous mistakes of science with the help of the fastest gunslinger in
the West!

BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL #108: SHORTCUT part 2 (of 5)
HIROAKI SAMURA (W/A)
On sale December 14, b&w, 32pg, $2.99


Hidden in a fortified prison cell near Edo Castle, Manji endures rough
inspections at the hands of Habaki Kagimura’s medical examiners. Oddly
enough, despite being imprisoned and tortured, Manji finds some comfort
and friendship in a conversation with his cellmate–a simple man with a
sad story. Giichi, Mugai-ryü assassin extraordinaire, is also missing,
and Hyakurin and Rin consider their next move as they search for their
friends.

Politics, horror, and squabbling, demented surgeons! Hiroaki Samura is
pulling our favorite immortal warrior down a very disturbing, bloody
pathway … and the twisted fun in this "Shortcut" story arc is just
getting started!

BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE—NIGHT OF THE BEASTS NOVEL
MAMORU OSHII (W)
On sale December 14, SC, 300pg, 5" x 7", $8.95


At Yokota Base in Japan, American soldiers stand guard at the brink of
the Vietnam War. Although they fear the enemy outside their base, an
even more dangerous enemy waits within—bloodthirsty vampires walk among
them. Appearing human, the beasts lurk in secret among the soldiers,
waiting for the moment to attack. Saya, a fierce and beautiful vampire
hunter, is sent to lead a team of undercover agents whose mission is to
decide who is human and who is not, and wipe out the vampires before they
can wipe out the base. But even though Saya is a powerful warrior whose
skill with her Japanese sword is lethal, her ferocity may not be
enough. The first book in a highly successful series of novels from Japan,
Blood: The Last Vampire is a startling, fast-paced thriller full of
chilling surprises.

B.P.R.D.: THE BLACK FLAME #5 (of 6)MIKE MIGNOLA (W), JOHN ARCUDI (W), GUY DAVIS (A), and DAVE STEWART (C)
On sale December 28, FC, 32pg, $2.99


The secret war against the frogs is no longer secret as an ancient
monster-god marches across the devastated American heartland. Air Force
bombs and missiles are useless against it, so how can the B.P.R.D., on the
verge of total collapse, hope to stop it? The answer lies in a dream
and in the bottom of a dresser drawer of a man who never existed.

CONAN #23
KURT BUSIEK (W) and GREG RUTH (A)
On sale December 21, FC, 32pg, $2.99


Kurt Busiek teams up with Greg Ruth for another eye-popping tale
spotlighting Conan’s earliest years.

At the age of ten, Conan already finds boyhood too small to contain his
manly strength and ambition. But when disease strikes him and his
village, he is left weak and unworthy. Determined to regain his
self-respect, he journeys alone to the site of one of Cimmeria’s bloodiest
battles—but little does Conan know that vile men hide in the shadows of this
place, waiting to prey upon those so foolish as to awaken the fallen
warriors from their uneasy sleep.

CONAN AND THE DEMONS OF KHITAI #3 (of 4)
AKIRA YOSHIDA (W), PAUL LEE (A), and PAT LEE (Cover)
On sale December 7, FC, 32pg, $2.99


King Conan battles an onslaught of monsters unlike any he’s seen in
this penultimate issue of the series that pits the King of the Western
world against a phantom warrior seeking to crush the Far East beneath his
demonic fist. Shinzen was the greatest swordsman in the exotic kingdom
of Khitai, until he became warped with dark power and stole the prized
mystical blade Hakkiba. Now, Conan, his last remaining comrade, and the
elite of the Khitai royal guard must stop Shinzen—no matter how many
twisted beasts of unspeakable horror he throws in their way. Also, don’t
miss the cover by comic-art marvel Pat Lee!

CONCRETE VOLUME 3: FRAGILE CREATURE TPB
PAUL CHADWICK (W/A)
On sale January 18, SC, 208pg, b&w, 6" x 9", $12.95


When you’re seven-feet plus of walking, talking stone, you’re bound to
draw the media spotlight, especially when you live in Tinseltown.
Concrete’s celebrity status is sometimes a pain in the buttress . . . but it
does bring the occasional paycheck gig. When the producer of a
low-budget science-fiction film approaches Concrete to use his prodigious
strength to help save money on the film’s FX budget, the siren call of
Hollywood draws Concrete like a moth to a flame . . . a
seven-thousand-dollar-a-week flame, that is.

DRACULA: ASYLUM NOVEL
PAUL WITCOVER (W)
On sale December 14, SC, 300pg, 4 3/16" x 6 3/4", $6.99


Since Bram Stoker first penned Dracula in 1897, this horror classic has
been endlessly reinterpreted on stage, screen, and print. Drawing on
Universal Pictures’ 1930s rendition of Count Dracula during the Golden
Age of horror films, Dracula: Asylum is a bold new turn on a story that
has remained a consistent favorite for over one hundred years.

The book follows the activities at Dr. Seward’s Sanatorium, the
location from which Dracula drew several victims before being destroyed by
Jonathan Harker in the original story. It is now after World War I and
after being gone for years Dracula is suddenly restored to earth. Trapped
beneath the grounds of the madhouse, his evil reaches out into the
minds of the weak and insane—and as a new crop of victims is harvested, new
heroes are needed to battle this impenetrable evil. Dracula: Asylum
combines intense horror, psychological tension, and thrilling action to
create a successor worthy of the original.

THE GOON #15
ERIC POWELL (W/A)
On sale December 21, FC, 32pg, $2.99


The war against the Zombie Priest is going well as Goon and his allies
have managed to put a strangle-hold on the Priest's supply of fresh
corpses for his Zombie legion. But just as things seem to be cooling down
on Lonely Street, a mysterious figure arrives on the scene to seek
revenge on one of the Goon's best pals, Norton.

GUNGRAVE ANIME MANGA TPB
Based on the anime created by Yasuhiro Nightow and the animation
produced by Madhouse
On sale January 18, SC, 160pg, FC, 5" x 7", $14.95


For Brandon Heat, death doesn’t matter. Driven by his need for revenge,
he returns from beyond the grave to cripple Millenion, the huge mafia
organization that uses undead monsters as its enforcers. His ultimate
goal will be to destroy Harry McDowel, the leader of Millenion, and at
one time, Brandon’s best friend...

JINGLE BELLE: THE FIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (one-shot)
PAUL DINI (W), STEPHANIE GLADDEN (A/Cover), and JOSE GARIBALDI (A)
On sale December 14, FC, 32pg, $2.99


Clear the ice! Santa's rebellious daughter returns in this fun-filled
winter one-shot courtesy of writer Paul Dini and artists Stephanie
Gladden and Jose Garibaldi. In a follow-up to her classic "Mighty Elves"
tale, Jingle once again takes to the hockey rink in a battle royal with
her snow leopard rival Tashi. It's the war to settle the score, or it
will be if the girls can stay out of the penalty box long enough to
finish the game. Also, romance comes to the North Pole in a tale of love
among the lemmings, and Jing endures yet another "blissful" Christmas
Eve in the company of her famous mom and pop.

KONG, THE 8TH WONDER OF THE WORLD™ MOVIE ADAPTATION #1 (of 3)
CHRISTIAN GOSSETT (W) and DUSTIN WEAVER (A)
On sale December 21, FC, 40pg, $3.99


With disgruntled investors after his skin, director Carl Denham has one
chance to make the film of his dreams—hire an unknown actress, kidnap
his writer, and board a tramp freighter for the South Pacific. And
Denham is the only one on board who knows their final destination: a
mysterious, storm-shrouded land mass known only as the Island of the Skulls.

There, Denham and his film crew will encounter hostile natives, and
actress Ann Darrow will find herself in the grasp of the island’s
undisputed lord and master—the mighty Kong!

Based on the eagerly anticipated motion picture by Peter Jackson, this
three-issue comics adaptation captures all of the action, all of the
romance, and all of the terror of the 8th Wonder of the World!

PENNY ARCADE: 1x 25¢
JERRY HOLKINS (W) and MIKE KRAHULIK (A)
On sale December 7, FC, 24pg, $.25


If you’ve never heard of Penny Arcade, it’s possible you were killed
tragically in a snowplow accident and your ghost is haunting the place
where you once lived, convinced that you are still alive! Or you may have
just missed out on this new invention called "the Internet." But don’t
fear, because Penny Arcade, the most popular web comic ever, is coming
to comics shops and bookstores everywhere! The comic for gamers, by
gamers is now available to everyone! In celebration of Dark Hore’s January
release of Attack of the Bacon Robots, the first Penny Arcade
collection, we’re offering readers a twenty-five-cent preview of the book in a
twenty-four-page comic!


PERHAPANAUTS #2 (of 4)

TODD DEZAGO (W), CRAIG ROUSSEAU (P), and RICO RENZI (C)
On sale December 28, FC, 32pg, $2.99


Hey, Perhapa-pals! Todd Dezago here. I really don’t want to date myself
but, y’know, I can remember a time when there wasn’t any PREVIEWS. No
solicitations, no cover image, no three sentence encapsulation that
sorta dilutes the thrills of an upcoming story. Back then the only way you
knew what your hero was in store for next month was on the last panel
of this month’s issue! Like—Next Issue: The Rhino! It was enticing! It
was exciting! Don’t get me wrong—I love PREVIEWS—it’s wonderful
publication. However, in honor of those bygone days, we here at The
Perhapanauts will be using this space to introduce ourselves, preview some awesome
artwork, and maybe tell a few jokes. Check back here next month for
some of that kind of fun.

REVELATIONS #5 (of 6)
PAUL JENKINS (W), HUMBERTO RAMOS (A), and LEONARDO OLEA (C)
On sale December 28, FC, 32pg, $2.99


Someone wants Detective Charlie Northern dead. Brought to the Vatican
to investigate the strange death of the Pope’s most likely successor,
Northern has uncovered too much, and now, someone close to him has been
murdered. Dark and powerful forces are at work, but Northern doesn’t
care anymore. He knows he’s dangerously close to the truth, and nothing
short of Hell itself is going to stop him from finding out who or what is
out to destroy his life.

Humberto Ramos' always fantastic artwork takes an amazing turn with
this complex and shocking murder mystery.

SERAPHIC FEATHER VOLUME 6: COLLISION COURSE TPB
TOSHIYA TAKEDA (W) and HIROYUKI UTATANE (A)
On sale January 11, SC, 00pg, b&w, 5 3/4" x 8 1/4", $15.95


A game of power, treachery, and violence plays out over possession of
advanced alien technology discovered buried on the Moon. These "Emblem
Seeds" can unleash incredible power, but only a few are capable of
wielding that power, and those who can are as valuable as the technology
itself. Separatist corporate terrorists have hijacked a shuttle to Earth
with the intent of kidnapping one such paranormal, Kei Heidemann, but
U.N. agents, led by the beautiful and deadly Attim M-Zak, are out to
spoil their plot. If the agents fail, not only will Kei fall into enemy
hands, but the crippled shuttle will collide with Earth’s orbital
elevator, cutting off the moon colonies and setting the stage for the moon’s
independence…and potential war with Earth!

SERENITY TPB
JOSS WHEDON (W), BRETT MATTHEWS (W), WILL CONRAD (A), and ADAM HUGHES
(Cover)
On sale January 25, SC, 104pg, FC, 7" x 10", $12.95


Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and scribe of Marvel’s
Astonishing X-Men, unveils a previously unknown chapter in the lives of
his favorite band of space brigands in this comics prequel of the
Serenity feature film—the big-budget follow-up to Whedon’s cult-hit TV show
Firefly.

Penned by Whedon and Brett Matthews, who wrote several episodes of
Firefly as well as Dark Horse’s final Angel comics series and the animated
Chronicles of Riddick feature "Dark Fury," Serenity follows a ship full
of mercenaries, fugitives, and one law-abiding prostitute in their
pursuit for fast cash and a little peace along the fringes of space. The
ragtag crew of Serenity take on a scavenger mission with the hopes of
earning enough dough to disappear for a while. Only too late do they
realize the whole gig is orchestrated by an old enemy eager to remake their
acquainitance with the help of some covert-operatives known only as the
Blue Gloves.

Artist Will Conrad (Marvel’s Elektra and Witches) and colorist Laura
Martin (Astonishing X-Men and The Ultimates) paint a rough and wild world
of adventure across a strange and dangerous universe, in this
not-to-be-missed tale straight from the brain of pop-culture mastermind Joss
Whedon!

SHI: JU-NEN TPB
BILLY TUCCI (W/A) and JC VAUGHN (W)
On sale January 11, SC, 104pg, FC, 7" x 10", $12.95


Ana Ishikawa returns to her native Japan where she desperately tries to
avert an all out-war between the secretive sects of the Kyoto and Nara
Sohei. And with the Narans on the verge of annihilation, the Kyoto
Sohei are about to rub it in—with the encouragement of the Yakuza and with
potentially disastrous consequences. Once again, Ana in the guise of
Death Incarnate, will take up the naginata and don her grandfather's
Kabuki face paint in order to save both cities, even if it means turning to
her father's murderer Masahiro Arashi to do so...

SPACE PINCHY: PLEASED TA MEETYA
TONY TAKEZAKI (W/A)
On sale December 21, FC, 48pg, $3.99


Meet Space Pinchy. The last remaining member of the Pinch Tribe, Space
Pinchy travels through space in search of the tribe’s lost treasures,
everything from dirty magazines to doomsday devices! In her adventures
Pinchy utilizes myterious superpowers, a form fitting outfit, and about
every innuendo in the book to aid her in her quest.

STAR WARS: EMPIRE #40
"The Wrong Side of the War" part 5 (of 5)
WELLES HARTLEY (W), DAVIDÉ FABBRI (P/C), CHRISTIAN DALLA VECCHIA (I),
and DAVID MICHAEL BECK (Cover
On sale December 21, FC, 32pg, $2.99


The jig is up!

The Rebel intelligence operatives inside the Imperial base on Kalist VI
have been discovered. Yet, even with their cover blown, this stalwart
crew of Alliance heroes is determined to follow through with their
mission no matter what the cost! As Imperial forces close in swiftly and
mercilessly, will this band of Rebels need to be rescued from their own
rescue mission? Find out in this explosive conclusion to "The Wrong Side
of the War."

STAR WARS: PURGE (one-shot)
JOHN OSTRANDER (W), DOUG WHEATLEY (A), CHRIS CHUCKRY (C), and ADAM
HUGHES (Cover)
On sale December 28, FC, 32pg, $2.99


After Order 66, few Jedi dare to venture outside the shadows—rumors of
the dark and terrible Darth Vader haunting even their waking moments.
Yet, some Jedi find this life of fear unbearable. Now, a small band of
Jedi have agreed to meet and discuss what should be done to oppose the
Empire and its Sith Lords. However, the Empire is always watching, and
Vader himself is eager to confront any Jedi that might bring him closer
to the whereabouts of his betrayer, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Prepare for Jedi
versus Sith action unlike any seen since the Old Republic in this special
one-shot follow-up to Revenge of the Sith!

STAR WARS TALES VOLUME 6 TPB
ROB WILLIAMS (W), THOMAS ANDREWS (W), IAN EDGINTON (W), LUCAS MARANGON
(W/A), BRANDON BADEAUX (A), CULLY HAMNER (A), MICHEL LACOMBE (A), STEVE
PUGH (A), and various
On sale January 25, SC, 232pg, FC, 7" x 10", $19.95


The vastness of the Star Wars galaxy hosts an ever-unfolding mythology,
filled with character-driven stories of loss and tragedy, of heroism
and redemption. Collected here are ten such tales—thrilling adventures
that traverse and illuminate every era in the Star Wars mythos. From the
life-affirming lessons of the Force to the moral and emotional fallout
that comes with giving oneself over to the ways of the Sith, these
exhilarating stories will change the way you see that galaxy far, far away…

SUPER MANGA BLAST! #59
MOHIRO KITOH (W/A), MAKOTO KOBAYASHI (W/A), KENICHI SONODA (W/A), and
HIROYUKI UTATANE (A) with TOSHIYA TAKEDA (W)
On sale December 28, b&w, 128pg, $5.99


The insanity of Makoto Kobayashi’s first extended What’s Michael? story
arc continues, as stranded astronauts face spitting, scratching horrors
on the "Planet of the Cats!" Whether you’re performing as a circus
freak or imprisoned in a gross "breeding cell," life’s surely not easy for
a human surrounded by thousands of angry, bipedal felines. The Cannon
God Exaxxion team finally sits down for dinner! (Then something really
disturbing happens.) Shadow Star and Seraphic Feather, now featured in
the original right-to-left, Japanese format, both enter new eras. The
Seraphic Feather crew is almost ready to return to Earth, and Shiina’s
father becomes a Shadow Star detective, edging closer to the secrets of
the mysterious Shadow Dragons! Also, SMB!’s entertaining and educational
columns, "Sugoi Japan!" and "A Fan’s View," continue to inspire fans of
Japanese culture!

UNIVERSAL MONSTERS: CAVALCADE OF HORROR TPB
DAN JOLLEY (W), DEN BEAUVAIS (W/A), DAN VADO (W), STEVE MONCUSE (W),
TONY HARRIS, ART ADAMS (A), JONATHAN D. SMITH (A), TERRY AUSTIN (A), and
ERIC POWELL (Cover)
On sale January 11, SC, 208pg, FC, 7" x 10", $19.95


The Mummy, Frankenstein, Dracula, the Creature from the Black Lagoon!

Featuring long out-of-print artwork by the white-hot Tony Harris (Ex
Machina, Starman) and artist Art Adams (Monkeyman & O'Brien), as well as
a brand-new introduction and painted cover by multiple Eisner Award
Winner Eric Powell (The Goon), this collection tells the original stories
of the Universal Monsters—Frankenstein, the Mummy, Dracula, and the
Creature from the Black Lagoon.

From the 1930s to the 1950s, Universal Studios changed horror cinema
forever with its legendary run of monster movies. Since then, these
timeless tales of terror and tragedy have enthralled generations of
audiences and inspired countless creators of the macabre. Now, read the stories
of the Universal Monsters as envisioned by some of comics’ finest
talents.

VAMPIRE HUNTER D VOLUME 3: DEMON DEATHCHASE NOVEL
HIDEYUKI KIKUCHI (W) and YOSHITAKA AMANO (A)
On sale December 14, SC, 300pg, 5" x 7", $8.95


The novel that was the basis for the hit motion picture Vampire Hunter
D: Demon Deathchase is available in English for the first time!

The third volume of the popular Japanese series Vampire Hunter D comes
to America in Vampire Hunter D: Demon Deathchase. The vampire hunter
known only as D has been hired by a wealthy, dying man to find his
daughter, who was kidnapped by the powerful vampire Lord Meierlink. Though
humans speak well of Meierlink, the price on his head is too high for D
to ignore and he sets out to save her before she can be turned into an
undead creature of the night. In the nightmare world of 12090 A.D.,
finding Meierlink before he reaches the spaceport in the Clayborn States
and gets off the planet will be hard enough, but D has more than just
Meierlink to worry about. The dying man is taking no chances, and has also
enlisted the Marcus family, a renegade clan of four brothers and a
sister who don’t care who they kill as long as they get paid. Beautiful
illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano complement the post-apocalyptic plot,
filled with chilling twists. Co-Published with Digital Manga Publishing.

WILL EISNER: A SPIRITED LIFE BIOGRAPHY
BOB ANDELMAN (W); with introduction by MICHAEL CHABON
SC, 352pg, b&w spot illustrations and photographs, 6" x
9, $14.95


Will Eisner's greatest legacy may be the graphic novels he championed
and created. It is certain that Eisner is an American original who has
made more innovations in the field of comics than any other artist,
permanently altering the face of American pop culture. This beautifully
illustrated biography explores the fascinating life of Eisner, detailing a
career that exceeds six decades in which Eisner spearheaded the cause
of comics for adult readers and created the first graphic novel, A
Contract with God. His influence has been felt by such diverse talents as
Jack Kirby and Batman creator Bob Kane. Underground comics legend R.
Crumb and Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonists Jules Feiffer and Art
Spiegelman have hailed Eisner's cinematic approach to comics and his enduring
character The Spirit. From his childhood to educating Army soldiers to
famously turning down a proposal for Superman, Eisner's personal and
professional life is told in dramatic detail.

Andelman spent almost three years interviewing Eisner, researching his
life and work, and interviewing his friends, family, and the creative
talents he inspired over a seventy-year career. Among those who spoke
about either their personal experience with Eisner or the way in which he
touched their careers were: Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons, Neil Gaiman,
Denis Kitchen, Mort Walker, Chris Browne, Joe Kubert, Jim Warren, Roy
Thomas, Stan Lee, Dave Sim, Joe Simon, Denny O’Neil, Joe Quesada, Patrick
McDonnell, Jules Feiffer, and Neal Adams. This book features never-before
published stories about Eisner’s first partner, Jerry Iger, related by
his great-nephew, Walt Disney Studio CEO Robert Iger.

Michael Chabon, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Amazing Adventures
of Kavalier & Clay which is based in-part on interviews with Eisner,
contributes a stirring introduction to Will Eisner: A Spirited Life.

THE WOLF MAN: HUNTER’S MOON NOVEL
MICHAEL JAN FRIEDMAN (W)
On sale December 14, SC, 275pg, 4 3/16" x 6 3/4", $6.99


Lawrence Talbot is the son of a family steeped in wealth and power.
While on vacation in Europe his life was changed forever when he was
bitten by a lycanthrope and cursed to walk the earth for the rest of
eternity as an immortal monster driven by rage and an unstoppable hunger for
human prey. No longer a man, not fully a beast, Talbot was one of the
damned: a werewolf.

After apparently dying at the hands of his loved ones, Talbot awakes in
the back of a car hurtling down a deserted road, evading gunfire from
another vehicle in hot pursuit. The driver of his car gets him to safety
and informs him the persons following them are from a heretical cult
dedicated to the extermination of all those marked by the sign of the
Wolf. As Talbot places his trust in the hands of these new friends, an
order whose stated mission is to protect werewolves, and learns of the
origins of the werewolf curse, he slowly starts to realize that he is
actually in more danger than he could imagine and that his saviors have
evil intentions all their own for him.

Pop Artifact!

Vintage DC Comics house ad

New "Superman Returns" pics

Here's a fresh batch of promo stills from the upcoming Superman flick, featuring Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor, Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane and Brandon Routh as Clark Kent/Superman.





Today's DVD new releases

Lost The Complete First Season

Greta Garbo the Signature Collection

21 Jump Street Complete Third Season

Charmed Complete Second Season

MacGyver Complete Third Season

Fraggle Rock Complete First Season

Millennium Complete Third Season

Quick hits

Check out some fine, vintage illustration work in "Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates," which someone has kindly posted as a Flickr Album.

Remembering Bob "Gilligan" Denver.

Dial B for Blog joins in the fun of DC's Silver Age house ads. Why are these things so much fun to look at? I guess it's the nostalgia factor, remembering when these comics coming out were fresh and new. Anyhow, if you like 'em, tune in here at This is Pop! to see vintage house ads pert near anyday.

Drawn, er, draws attention to the excellent movie poster work of Bob Peak.

Tony Isabella grooves on Repticulus.

The New York Times features an interview with S.E. Hinton, reclusive author of "The Outsiders" and other teen novels.

The fourth season set of "Smallville" out next week will feature an interesting bonus: one episode of the 1990s "The Flash" live-action series. The episode, "Out of Control" was the first regular-length show of the series, TV Shows on DVD reports.

Lots of "Lost" hints and potential spoilers here, if you want 'em.

Pop Artifact!

Vintage DC Comics house ads

Quick hits

Various skinny from Comics Continuum: The "Teen Titans Go!" comic, like the Titans animated show, will feature the Doom Patrol in upcoming issues. An actor has been cast to play Aquaman on an upcoming issue of "Smallville." Also check out the link for some pics of the animated Batgirl, set to appear soon on "The Batman" toon.

Marvel Comics plans to produce its own films. Plus details on a planned Captain America flick.

TV Guide checks out the "Boondocks" cartoon.

Fats Domino wasn't the only musician rescued in New Orleans. Power popper Alex Chilton was also evacuated by helicopter.

New Superman pic

Via Newsweek, here's actor Brandon Routh in costume:



See the Best Superman Sites on the Web.

Pop Artifact!





Vintage DC Comics house ads

Quick hits

With so much sad news coming out of New Orleans, it's good to hear one of that city's many musical treasures is safe: Fats Domino, missing at one point, has been rescued.

Easy-riding Peter Fonda will play Mephisto in the upcoming "Ghost Rider" flick.

View fresh "X-Men 3" set pictures here.

Bubblegumfink requires technical assistance.

Xtabay has a nice surf compilation to share.

Dial B for Blog celebrates it's 100th post with a great grouping of, um, group shots.

TwoMorrows Publishing solicitations for November



ALTER EGO #54
edited by ROY THOMAS

In ALTER EGO #54 MIKE ESPOSITO “tells all” about DC and Marvel, and
ROBERT KANIGHER speaks! Behind a new full-color cover by ESPOSITO
(re-creating one of the classic ANDRU & ESPOSITO Wonder Woman covers),
it’s “The MIKE ESPOSITO Interview, Part II—The DC & MARVEL Years!”
about working with ROSS ANDRU on Wonder Woman, Metal Men, The Flash, “The
Land That Time Forgot”—& inking Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, The X-Men,
The Avengers, Sub-Mariner, et al.! There’s rare art & raucous anecdotes
starring ROSS ANDRU, ROBERT KANIGHER, CARMINE INFANTINO, JULIE
SCHWARTZ, STAN LEE, JACK KIRBY, MARIE SEVERIN, BARRY SMITH, JOHN ROMITA, JOHN &
SAL BUSCEMA, GIL KANE, FRANK GIACOIA, VINCE COLLETTA, GERRY CONWAY,
HERB TRIMPE, SOL BRODSKY, ROY THOMAS, DON HECK, GEORGE TUSKA, BILL EVERETT,
DON HECK, STAN GOLDBERG, JACK KATZ, FRANK SPRINGER, & many others! Then
ROBERT KANIGHER writes about the creation of Metal Men & Sgt. Rock—with
added comments by JOE KUBERT & BOB HANEY! Also: FCA with MARC SWAYZE &
art from “Captain Marvel Meets The Human Torch!”—plus ALEX TOTH, BILL
SCHELLY, & MICHAEL T. GILBERT—& MORE!

The 100 page (plus cover), saddle-stitched 8 1/2" x 11" magazine with a
full color cover and black-and-white interiors retails for $6.95 (New
Price) in the U.S. and ships 9 November 2005.

BACK ISSUE! #13
edited by MICHAEL EURY

BACK ISSUE #13 is stuck in the ’70s—and proud of it—in ‘That ’70s
Issue’! NICK CARDY relives his days as THE DC Comics cover artist in an
exclusive art-packed interview. STEVE ENGLEHART and DOUG MOENCH kick
back for a look at kung-fu comics, and JOE STATON and NICK CUTI go
‘Pro2Pro’ about Charlton’s super-hero E-Man! Also: an all-’70s ‘Rough
Stuff’ pencil art gallery featuring FRANK MILLER (his early Spectacular
Spider-Man work), JOE KUBERT, DICK GIORDANO, CURT SWAN, GIL KANE, GENE
COLAN, DAVE COCKRUM, and other superstars. Plus: the first graphic
novel, WILL EISNER’s A Contract with God; ‘The Death of Romance
(Comics)’ (with art by JOHN ROMITA, SR. and ALEX TOTH); ROSS ANDRU and
MIKE ESPOSITO’s humor mag “Up Your Nose and Out Your Ear”; AURORA
COMICS SCENES, and other ’70s flashbacks! It’s dy-no-mite! With an all-new
cover by NICK CARDY and SCOTT HANNA!

The 100 page (plus cover), saddle-stitched 8 1/2" x 11" magazine with a
full color cover and black-and-white interiors retails for $5.95 (New
Price) in the U.S. and ships 16 November 2005.

THE TITANS COMPANION
by GLEN CADIGAN

Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the New Teen Titans is The Titans
Companion, a comprehensive look back at the best-selling DC series! The
history of the definite teen team is covered through a series of
interviews with fan-favorite creators Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, José
Luis García-López, Len Wein, and others! Also included is a
comprehensive Silver Age section featuring interviews with Neal Adams,
Nick Cardy, Dick Giordano, and more! Plus: Chris Claremont and Walter
Simonson on the X-Men/New Teen Titans crossover! Tom Grummett, Phil
Jimenez and Terry Dodson on their ’90s Titans work! Rare and
unpublished artwork by Cardy, Pérez, García-López, Grummett, Jimenez, and others!
Featuring an all-new cover by Phil Jimenez and an introduction by Geoff
Johns, The Titans Companion is a must-have for any Titans fan!

The 224 page (plus cover), squarebound, 8 1/2" x 11" Trade Paperback
with a full color cover and black-and-white interiors retails for
$24.95 in the U.S. and ships 23 November 2005.

Pop Artifacts!

Vintage DC Comics house ad

DVD new releases for September

September 6


Lost The Complete First Season

Greta Garbo the Signature Collection

21 Jump Street Complete Third Season

Charmed Complete Second Season

MacGyver Complete Third Season

Fraggle Rock Complete First Season

Millennium Complete Third Season


September 13


Smallville Complete Fourth Season

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Empire Falls

The Pretender Complete Second Season

Frasier Complete Sixth Season

Cheers Complete Sixth Season

One Tree Hill Complete Second Season


September 20


Desperate Housewives Complete First Season

Bob Dylan No Direction Home

Wallace and Gromit in Three Amazing Adventures

Battlestar Galactica New Series Complete First Season

Crime Story Complete First Season

Teen Titans - Season 2, Volume 1 - Fear Itself

Justice League - Season 1, Volume 2 - Joining Forces

The Batman - Season 1, Vol. 2 - The Man Who Would Be Bat


September 27


Gilmore Girls Complete Fourth Season

Star Trek Enterprise Complete Third Season

Hogan's Heroes Complete Second Season

Law and Order Special Victims Unit Complete Second Season

"Superman Returns" teaser poster unveiled

Here 'tis:

Quick hits

Britain's Channel 4 has updated it's cool'n'cryptic "Lost" Web site once again.

Bedazzled has video of a vintage Corn Flakes featuring TV Superman George Reeves.

Billboard has a Q&A with Paul McCartney.

Also from Billboard, an article about an upcoming documentary of John Lennon, spotlighting his political activism and the government conspiracy to boot him from the U.S.

Betty Boop is shilling for Hooters?!

Comics Continuum has a few stills from the upcoming season debut of "Smallville."

Also from the Continuum link above: Marvel plans direct-to-DVD films featuring the Ultimate Avengers, Doctor Strange and Iron Man. And an upcoming episode of "Justice League Unlimited" will feature Mike Grell's Warlord.

I'm so friggin' jealous: Fred Hembeck has cartooned an interview with Dial B for Blog's Robby Reed.

Someone's catalogued all those ACME products featured in Looney Tunes cartoons.

There's a batch of old-time-radio horror shows for download here.

The Onion's AV Club posts a lengthy Brian Wilson interview.

Best-of CDs coming from Cameo-Parkway

First came the big Cameo-Parkway box set, collecting lots of previously rare-on-CD singles from the labels history. Now comes a batch of individual best-ofs.

Out Oct. 11 are:

The Best Of Chubby Checker, 1959-1963:
1. Dancin' Party
2. The Twist
3. Toot
4. The Class
5. Twistin' U.S.A.
6. The Hucklebuck
7. Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On
8. Pony Time
9. Dance The Mess Around
10. Good, Good Lovin'
11. Let's Twist Again
12. The Fly
13. Slow Twistin'
14. Popeye The Hitchhiker
15. Limbo Rock
16. Let's Limbo Some More
17. Hooka Tooka
18. Loddy Lo
19. Hey, Bobba Needle
20. Birdland
21. Surf Party
22. Twist It Up
23. Twistin' Round The World
24. Jingle Bell Rock

The Best Of Bobby Rydell, 1959-1964:
1. Please Don't Be Mad
2. All I Want Is You
3. We Got Love
4. Kissin' Time
5. I Dig Girls
6. Wild One
7. Ding-A-Ling
8. Swingin' School
9. Little Bitty Girl
10. Volare
11. Sway
12. That Old Black Magic
13. I Wanna Thank You
14. Butterfly Baby
15. Good Time Baby
16. I've Got Bonnie
17. I'll Never Dance Again
18. The Third House (In From The Right)
19. Wildwood Days
20. The Cha-Cha-Cha
21. The Best Man Cried
22. Forget Him
23. A World Without Love
24. Jingle Bell Rock
25. A Message From Bobby


The Best Of The Tymes, 1963-1964:
1. So Much In Love
2. Wonderful! Wonderful!
3. Come With Me To The Sea
4. Stranger In Paradise
5. Malibu
6. Words Written On Water
7. Anymore
8. Somewhere
9. Here She Comes
10. Hello Young Lovers
11. Way Beyond Today
12. One Little Kiss
13. Address Unknown
14. Wonderland Of Love
15. To Each His Own
16. Chances Are
17. My Summer Love
18. The Magic Of Our Summer Love
19. The Lamp Is Low
20. And That Reminds Me
21. View From My Window
22. Goodnight My Love


The Best Of The Orlons, 1961-1966:
1. I'll Be True
2. The Wah Watusi
3. Don't Hang Up
4. The Conservative
5. South Street
6. Cement Mixer
7. Not Me
8. Crossfire!
9. Don't Throw Your Love Away
10. Bon-Doo-Wah
11. Everything Nice
12. Shimmy Shimmy
13. Rules Of Love
14. Heartbreak Hotel
15. Knock! Knock! (Who's There?)
16. Goin' Places
17. Envy (In My Eyes)
18. Don't You Want My Lovin'
19. Spinning Top
20. Mr. Twenty One

The Best Of Dee Dee Sharp, 1962-1966:
1. Mashed Potato Time
2. Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)
3. Baby Cakes
4. You Are My Sunshine
5. Ride!
6. Do The Bird
7. Slow Twistin'
8. You Ain't Nothin' But A Nothin'
9. Just To Hold My Hand
10. Rock Me In The Cradle Of Love
11. Wild!
12. Why Doncha Ask Me
13. Never Pick A Pretty
14. Willyam, Willyam
15. Where Did I Go
16. Deep Dark Secret
17. There Ain't Nothin' I Wouldn't Do For You
18. (That's What) My Mama Said
19. Let's Twine
20. Standing In The Need Of Love
21. It's A Funny Situation
22. I Really Love You
23. (It's Wonderful) The Love I Feel For You
24. To Know Him Is To Love Him

The Best Of ? And The Mysterians:
1. I Need Somebody
2. Stormy Monday
3. You're Telling Me Lies
4. Ten O'clock
5. Set Aside
6. Up Side
7. "8" Teen
8. Don't Tease Me
9. Don't Break This Heart Of Mine
10. Why Me
11. Midnight Hour
12. 96 Tears
13. Girl (You Captivate Me)
14. Can't Get Enough Of You, Baby
15. Got To
16. I'll Be Back
17. Shout (Part 1 & 2)
18. Hangin' On A String
19. Smokes
20. It's Not Easy
21. Don't Hold It Against Me
22. Just Like A Rose
23. Do You Feel It
24. Do Something To Me
25. Love Me Baby (Cherry July)
26. Midnight Hour (Previously Unreleased Version)
27. 96 Tears (Previously Unreleased Version)

Pop Artifact! Terry and the Pirates board game

Vintage DC Comics house ad

And now this special message...

CD new releases of note

Aug. 30

Cannonball Adderley Sextet In New York
Cannibal and the Headhunters Land of 1000 Dances
Eric Clapton Back Home
Bob Dylan No Direction Home: The Soundtrack - The Bootleg Series Volume 7
Thea Gilmore Songs from the Gutter
Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra Not In Our Name
Herbie Hancock Possibilities
Les Paul and Friends
Sonny Rollins Without a Song
VA Austin City Limits Festival
VA Phil's Spectre 2: Another Wall of Soundalikes
DVD Suicide Girls: The First Tour

Sept. 6

George Clinton How Late Do U Have 2 B B 4 U R Absent?
The Move Message from the Country
The Rolling Stones A Bigger Bang
Sexsmith & Kerr (Ron and Don) Destination Unknown
VA Tee Vee Toons: All-Time Top 100 TV Themes
DVD Punk: Attitude

Allred goes "Solo"

Newsarama has an interview with comic artist Michael Allred, who will be showcased in DC's "Solo" series in October.

Here's an art peek:

This week's DVD new releases

Nip/Tuck Complete Second Season

Curb Your Enthusiasm Complete Fourth Season

Combat Complete Fifth Season

House Complete First Season

Roseanne Complete First Season

Holy Bat TV!

This is pretty cool lookin':



You can get em on Amazon and, presumably, yer local electronics shop.

Quick hits

You can hear "Fine Line," the first single of Paul McCartney's upcoming Chaos and Creation in the Backyard here. It's kinda catchy.

Finally: Columbia Records is proud to announce the release of the brand new studio album by Kate Bush.

The double album entitled 'Aerial' will be released worldwide on November 8th (Nov 7th in Europe).

The first single 'King Of The Mountain' precedes the album on September 27th. It will be available online at iTunes, Yahoo! Music Unlimited, Sony Connect, Walmart.com, Rhapsody, Napster, and MSN Music.


You'll like Booksteve's Library.

The anti-war message of the original "Godzilla" was removed from U.S.-dubbed versions of the flick. Now it's been reinserted.

Kirkus Reviews is promoting comic books and graphic novels with a special supplement, available here in PDF.

Gemstone plans to reprint some classic Mickey Mouse one-page comics in a 360-page hardcover titled "Mickey and The Gang Classic Stories In Verse." The comics originally appeared in Good Housekeeping mag in the 1930s.

Meet the Mighty Moppet.

Comics' first interracial kiss?

Here's an early "Serenity" review.

Pop Artifact! S.W.A.T. bullhorn toy

Vintage DC Comics house ads

Out now!



On sale now in yer local comics shop or via This is Pop!-supporting links:

Buffy The Vampire Slayer Ubervamp Bust

Chronicles Of Conan Vol 8 Tower Of Blood and Other Stories TP

Earth X HC

Elfquest The Grand Quest Vol 10 TP

Essential X-Men Vol 6 TP

Magneto Statue - Bowen Designs

Neal Adams Rowdy And Beautiful Women Sketchbook

Official Handbook Ultimate Marvel Universe 2005

Tom Strongs Terrific Tales Book One TP

Ultimates 2 Vol 1 Gods And Monsters TP

Walt Disneys World Of The Dragonlords GN

Wha... Huh?

Marvel Megamorphs Transforming Super Hero Assault-Bots

SPIDER-MAN 6" Action Figure SPIDER-MAN SERIES 14 Marvel toy Biz Toys

New "Justice League Unlimited" eps due in September

Via Comics Continuum, the Cartoon Network has announced two episodes airing Sept. 17:

"I Am Legion" -- Lex Luthor escapes from a maximum security prison, only to be invited to join Grodd's unstoppable Legion of Doom.

"Shadow of the Hawk" -- Batman is suspicious of Shayera's new boyfriend, a mysterious archeologist with sinister ties to her Thanagarian past.

And two airing Sept. 24:

"Heart of Stone" -- Supergirl, Stargirl and Green Lantern go to Skartaris, the fantastic, hidden world at the Earth¹s core, to help free it from the rule of a brutal dictator.

"Elegy" -- Wonder Woman stumbles onto a plot to steal the powers hidden inside the 3000-year-old, frozen remains of the legendary hero, the Viking Prince.

See the Best DC Comics Sites on the Web.

Marvel Legends series 12 lineup announced

It'll be:

  • Astonishing X-Men Wolverine (newest costume)
  • "Maestro" Hulk
  • Bishop
  • X-23
  • Iron Fist
  • Sasquatch

Action-Figure.com says they'll be out sometime next year. So far, the only picture available is of X-23:

Quick hits

Starlet Charlize Theron will appear in episodes of the third season of the brilliantly funny "Arrested Development."

A look at CBS's "Lost" knock-off, "Threshold." Not to be confused with NBC's "Lost" knock-off, "Surface," mentioned yesterday.

"Million Dollar Baby" screenwriter Paul Haggis has been tapped to script the next James Bond flick, a reworking of "Casino Royale."

Pop Artifacts! DC Comics Mego figures

Vintage DC Comics house ad

Quick hits

The official Web site for the planned Jack Kirby Museum and Research Center is up. Check it out for views of Kirby's comic art and snippets of a video tape interview.

Why Paul McCartney is richer than God.

Sarah Michell Gellar's dodgy musical tastes.

TV Guide takes a look at NBC's "Lost" knock-off, "Surface."

Is Michael Vartan being written out of "Alias"? Does anyone care?

Superhero Hype! has some "X-Men 3" set pics.

An Iron Man cartoon is in the works in France.

Planet Xtabay shares a couple of rare Les Baxter albums.


And from Tiki-Tim's Exotic Lounge:

Pop Artifacts! Pogo figures

Vintage DC Comics house ad

Quick hits

Hmmm, who will Anthony Stewart Head (Giles from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") be playing on the revived "Doctor Who"? (Don't click if ya don't want spoilers).

Denver libraries have ended their subscriptions to those spicey fotonovelas.

Comic Richard Lewis remembers summer camp with Larry David.

Arist Darwyn Cooke has signed an exclusive deal with DC Comics, which includes his revival of Will Eisner's "The Spirit" and other projects.

Short clips of Joss Whedon's upcoming "Serenity" are turning up online.

CBS News has posted a few images from Ron Howard's upcoming adaptation of The DaVinci Code."

Volume 2 of "Superman: The Animated Series" and Volume 4 of "Batman: The Animated Series" are out Dec. 6.

CD new releases of note

Aug. 23

Björk Drawing Restraint: 9
The Everly Brothers Hit Sound of, Roots, Show, Sing and The New Album
The Kronos Quartet and Asha Bhosle You've Stolen My Heart: Songs from R.D. Burman's Bollywood
Charles Mingus A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry
New Pornographers Twin Cinema

Aug. 30

Cannonball Adderley Sextet In New York
Cannibal and the Headhunters Land of 1000 Dances
Eric Clapton Back Home
Bob Dylan No Direction Home: The Soundtrack - The Bootleg Series Volume 7
Thea Gilmore Songs from the Gutter
Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra Not In Our Name
Herbie Hancock Possibilities
Les Paul and Friends
Sonny Rollins Without a Song
VA Austin City Limits Festival
VA Phil's Spectre 2: Another Wall of Soundalikes
DVD Suicide Girls: The First Tour

Out now!


Pop Artifacts! Fisher-Price Little People

Vintage DC Comics house ad

Details on "Jimi Hendrix: Live at Woodstock" DVD

Out Sept. 13, this double DVD features Hendrix's complete set from the August 1969 festival.

The set features 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo soundtrack mixed by Hendrix's original engineer Eddie Kramer. The 57-minute music set appears on disk one.

Disk two includes:

Jimi Hendrix: Live At Woodstock: A Second Look

A student-shot, black-and-white version of the entire Woodstock set. This version features never-before-seen footage of "Hear My Train A Comin'" - a performance missed by the sanctioned Woodstock film crew who had to stop shooting to change film at that moment.

The Road to Woodstock

A new documentary featuring Hendrix performance footage and new interviews with Woodstock promoter Michael Lang, and Hendrix band members Mitch Mitchell (drums), Billy Cox (bass), Larry Lee (guitar) and Juma Sultan (percussion) among others.

Jimi Hendrix Press Conference

Filmed in Harlem at Frank's Restaurant on September 3, 1969, just two weeks after Woodstock, this press conference was called to announce Jimi's upcoming benefit performance on behalf of the United Block Association, a Harlem based youth organization. Jimi's comments about the festival and his memorable rendition of Star Spangled Banner are part the press conference.

Nashville Roots

Band members Billy Cox and Larry Lee recall their friendship with Jimi Hendrix and their shared journey from the fabled R&B 'chitlin circuit' to the greatest rock festival ever conceived. Cox had been Jimi's army buddy and the two joined up in Nashville after Jimi's discharge. They formed a band called the King Kasuals and became mainstays of the chitlin' circuit including the Del Morocco Club in Nashville where they were the house band for a time. Upon the departure of bassist Noel Redding in April, 1969, Jimi invited Cox to join him and went on to be the bassist for the Woodstock group - called Gypsys, Sun & Rainbows, as well as with Band of Gypsies in 1970 with drummer Buddy Miles, continuing with the reformed Jimi Hendrix Experience when drummer Mitch Mitchell returned to the fold. It was in Nashville that Jimi and Billy became friends with guitarist Larry Lee who is seen on stage in the Woodstock performance. He had played guitar for such groups as The Impressions and was drafted and wounded in Vietnam. Two weeks after his discharge, Jimi invited him to play at Woodstock. He later gained recognition as a guitarist on sessions at Stax and would also work with Al Green for more than a decade.

Recording Woodstock

Engineer Eddie Kramer details the recording of the entire epic festival. Kramer was Jimi's partner in Electric Lady Studios in New York and is a living link to the sonic legacy of Jimi Hendrix and a font of knowledge about Hendrix. He is co-author, with John McDermott of the book Hendrix: Setting the Record Straight.

Rare Artifacts & Memorabilia

Collection includes original Woodstock poster, festival tickets, and Hendrix's own handwritten set list draft, and poem about the festival, "500,000 Halos."

Songs include:

Message To Love
Spanish Castle Magic
Red House
Lover Man
Foxey Lady
Jam Back At The House
Izabella
Fire
Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
Star Spangled Banner
Purple Haze
Woodstock Improvisation
Villanova Junction
Hey Joe

You can pre-order the set now from Amazon.

Quick hits

Mike Sterling remembers the Calculator (and when Batman used to laugh).

The Hollywood Reporter has a review of Terry Gilliam's "The Brothers Grimm": "[The film] emerges as a folkloric adventure that intermittently entertains. The central problem is that Gilliam never figures out what movie he wants to make. "Grimm" ranges from 18th century slapstick to pure fairy tale and from Monty Python absurdity to a semi-serious meditation on the collision between rationalist convictions and mystical beliefs." Yahoo! Movies has an exclusive clip from the flick.

The New York Times has an obituary of electronic music pioneer Robert Moog.

You can now watch old eps of "Doctor Who" and "Red Dwarf" on your mobile phone. Why you'd want to do this, I don't know.

What was in Buddy Holly's overnight bag?

BBC Radio plans a John Peel Day for Oct. 13.

No.

Via Cognitive Dissonance: Which Doctor Who are you?

Giant ape attacks New York City!

The UK's Empire magazine will publish the first official mag cover featuring a shot from director Peter Jackson's upcoming "King Kong." Here's a look:

DVD new releases for Aug. 23

The OC Complete Second Season

The Ring Two

Emergency! Complete First Season

Alf Complete Second Season

Kung Fu Complete Third Season

21 Jump Street Complete Third Season

Six Feet Under Complete Fourth Season

Pop Artifact! Vintage Erector set



Vintage DC Comics house ad

Quick hits

Robert Moog, inventor of the Moog synthesizer, has passed away. More here.

Now Jessica Alba says "I Dream of Jeannie" won't prevent her from appearing in "Fantastic Four 2."

Neal Adams says he might be interested in doing some more comics projects.

There's some "X-Men 3" spoilage here.

Mark Evanier, in this and other posts, has a lot of info about all the comic strip crossovers going on as part of Blondie's 75th anniversary.

Actor Bruce Campbell says he'll be appearing in "Spider-Man 3."