Pop Artifact! Mego Hulk van

Pop Culture Roundup Aug. 3, 2007

The Chicago Sun-Times reviews the 1968 "The Archie Show," now out on DVD.

The music is what set "The Archie Show" apart from the rest of the Saturday morning lineup (it was also one of the first cartoons to use a laugh track). While superheros were saving the planet on other shows, the Archies were making records. Every episode featured the Archies' signature brand of bubblegum pop -- pop that sold tens of millions copies (including those cardboard '45s that were part of the packaging on your favorite cereal box). Songs like "Sugar, Sugar" (which sold 7 million copies), "Bang-Shang-a-Lang" and "Jingle Jangle" made the "imaginary" Archies as hot as the real artists on the charts. For a time, in 1969, "Sugar Sugar" sat atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart, besting "Age of Aquarius" by the Fifth Dimension, "Can't Get Next to You" by the Temptations and "Honky Tonk Women" by the Rolling Stones. The reason for the Archies' musical success pointed to one man, iconic promoter Don Kirshner, fresh from his stint with the Monkees. Kirshner assembled a studio band that included (in various incarnations) Ron Dante, Jeff Barry, Bobby Bloom, Leslie Miller, Ellie Greenwich, Andy Kim and Toni Wine. The resulting layered harmonies made the Archies easy to listen to.

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See Steve Martin interview New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast.

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Actor Gabriel Macht ("The Good Shephard") will play the Spirit in Frank Miller's big-screen adaptation of the Will Eisner comic strip.

"We think Gabriel has a devilishly charming quality, and the dry wit that embodies the Spirit, and we wanted to do this with someone who can embody this character for the next few years, because we anticipate we'll be making more than one Spirit movie," said Lionsgate prexy of film production Mike Paseornek.

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As hinted here previously, the beloved Dial B for Blog, um, blog, is coming back. It's creator, "Robby Reed" promised new "issues" beginning in September. Meanwhile, you can catch up on some his earlier funny, informative and in-depth looks at Silver Age Comics here.

You also can keep up to date on the Dial B for Blog Message Board here.

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Paul McCartney and Brian Wilson may perform together at one of Wilson's upcoming London concerts.

DVD: Spider-Man 3 due out Oct. 30

Details from Sony:

Spider-Man(TM) 3 will be available in several versions for fans to collect including a single-disc release, a two-disc Special Edition release, PSP, and a three-pack DVD release which will include Spider-Man(TM) and Spider-Man(TM) 2 on DVD with collectible O-Ring packaging.

Also available is the Spider-Man(TM) High Definition Trilogy, a three-pack release of all three films on Blu-ray(TM) High-Def allowing fans an exclusive opportunity to collect both Spider-Man(TM) and Spider-Man(TM) 2 in high definition, along with Spider-Man(TM) 2.1 and Spider- Man(TM) 3. Spider-Man(TM) 3 will also be available as a stand-alone two-disc release on Blu-ray(TM) High-Def.

The two-disc Spider-Man(TM) 3 Blu-ray(TM) High-Def and two-disc Special Edition DVD offer fans more than six hours of all-new bonus materials, including a trio of featurettes spotlighting the cinematic creation of the web crawler's greatest nemeses. Grains of Sand -- Building Sandman details the challenges Sony Pictures Imageworks faced in creating the iconic villain; Re-Imagining the Goblin explores the changes in the New Goblin character from page to screen; and Covered in Black -- Creating Venom follows the cinematic creation of Spider-Man's archrival.

The two-disc's added value also has a trio of features on the creation of the spectacular stunts in the movie: Hanging On ... Gwen Stacy & the Collapsing Floor, where stunt coordinator Scott Rogers explores the logistics of the dangerous stunt performed by Bryce Dallas Howard; Fighting, Flying & Driving -- The Stunts, wherein Stunt Coordinator/2nd Unit Director Dan Bradley and Stunt Coordinator Scott Rogers provide a behind-the-scenes peek at the various "gags" in the film; and Wall of Water where the viewer is taken into the creation of one of the biggest stunts in the film. In addition, the discs offer bloopers, a Snow Patrol music video, and two audio commentary tracks with cast and filmmakers.

Spider-Man(TM) 3 Special Features (Single-Disc DVD)
-- Digitally Mastered Audio and Video
-- Audio: English Dolby True HD 5.1, English PCM 5.1 (Uncompressed),
French, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai 5.1 (Dolby Digital)
-- Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean,
Thai, Chinese Mandarin, Chinese Cantonese
-- Bloopers
-- Photo Galleries
-- Snow Patrol Music Video
-- Audio Commentary with Director Sam Raimi and Cast Members Tobey
Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher
Grace, and Bryce Dallas Howard
-- Audio Commentary with Producers Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad and Grant
Curtis, Editor Bob Murawski and Special Effects Supervisor Scott
Stokdyk
-- Closed Captioned
-- Bonus Previews


Spider-Man(TM) 3 Two-Disc Special Edition DVD, Two-Disc Blu-ray(TM) High-Def


Disc One Special Features:

-- Digitally Mastered Audio and Video
-- Audio: English Dolby True HD 5.1, English PCM 5.1 (Uncompressed),
French, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai 5.1 (Dolby Digital)
-- Subtitles: English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean,
Thai, Chinese Mandarin, Chinese Cantonese
-- Bloopers
-- Photo Galleries
-- Snow Patrol Music Video
-- Audio Commentary with Director Sam Raimi and Cast Members Tobey
Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher
Grace, and Bryce Dallas Howard
-- Audio Commentary with Producers Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad and Grant
Curtis, Editor Bob Murawski and Special Effects Supervisor Scott
Stokdyk
-- Closed Captioned
-- Bonus Previews


Disc Two Special Features:

-- Digitally Mastered Audio and Video
-- Audio: English, Spanish 5.1 (Dolby Digital). English, Spanish (Dolby
Surround)
-- Subtitles: English, Spanish
-- Featurette: Grains of Sand -- Building Sandman
-- Featurette: Re-Imagining the Goblin
-- Featurette: Covered in Black -- Creating Venom
-- Featurette: Hanging On ... Gwen Stacy and the Collapsing Floor
-- Featurette: Fighting, Flying & Driving -- The Stunts
-- Featurette: Tangled Web: The Love Triangles of Spider-Man 3
-- Featurette: Wall Of Water
-- Featurette: On Location Cleveland -- The Chase on Euclid Avenue
-- Featurette: On Location New York -- From Rooftops to Backstreets
-- Featurette: The Science of Sound
-- Featurette: Inside The Editing Room
-- Theatrical TV Spots From Around the World
-- Closed Captioned

DVD: Twin Peaks Gold Box collects whole works

Twin Peaks: Definitive Gold Box Edition is 10-disc set out Oct. 30. You can pre-order it now from Amazon.

It will include both versions of the up-until-now unavailable in the U.S. pilot episode along with all 29 episodes from seasons one and two. Y

Extras include:

* Log Lady introductions for each episode.

* Deleted scenes, production.

* The four-part Secrets from Another Place: Creating Twin Peaks documentary.

* Return to Twin Peaks featurette.

* 13 TV spots.

* Three image galleries.

* Three Georgia Coffee commercials.

* Julee Cruise's Falling music video.

* Eight interactive maps.

* Kyle MacLachlan's monologue and Twin Peaks sketch from "Saturday Night Live."

Vintage Marvel Comics house ad



Today's video: Big Wheel TV ad



Pop Artifact! Spider-Man figure

Pop Culture Roundup Aug. 2, 2007

Remembering Bergman and Antonioni, Bedazzled presents vintage posters and lobby cards for some of their best-known films, including "Persona" and "Blow Up."

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Batman and Wonder Woman may be the subjects of DC Comics' next straight-to-DVD animated films.

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Brian Wilson is performing a new "song cycle" in concert.

Wilson says the piece "will consist of five 'rounds' with interspersed spoken word". It is based on the classic 1949 song 'That Lucky Old Sun', and though the new song suite will contain elements of the tune, there will also be newly composed songs too, one of which is called 'Midnight's Another Day'.

The work was put together with Wilson's old collaborator Van Dyke Parks, who wrote the lyrics for the seminal 'Smile' album.


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The Absorbacon digs IDW Publishing's new Star Trek "season 4" comic book.

...the first issue is quite traditional; it really does read almost like a "lost episode".

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Dean Cain, who played Superman on "Lois and Clark," is visiting "Smallville," reports Ain't It Cool.

He'll play "the murderous Dr. Curtis Knox (who may or may not be Vandal Savage).”

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Entertainment Weekly chats with "Buffy" creator Joss Whedon about some upcoming projects, including:

...a 90-minute TV movie for the BBC about Buffy's watcher, Giles; Goners, his original movie for Universal that's still in development and presently in rewrites; Cabin in the Woods, a horror movie coscripted with Drew Goddard (Cloverfield) that he's shopping around; and two comics, a Buffy ''season 9'' story arc and a Serenity miniseries.

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James Bond fans may be interested in this:

"The Battle For Bond" by Robert Sellers

Cinema history might have been very different had the first James Bond film not been Dr. No in 1962 starring Sean Connery, but Thunderball directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1959 and starring Richard Burton as agent 007. It sounds preposterous and unbelievable, but it almost happened. The Battle for Bond unravels the untold story behind the most controversial part of the James Bond legend using previously unpublished material including letters and private documents.

Vintage Marvel Comics house ad



Today's video: Mego Action Jackson TV ad



New and upcoming action figures Aug. 2, 2007

Complete List of Marvel Legends Action Figures
Complete List of DC Direct Action Figures

Here's a look at action figures available via your local comics shop or via the TIP!-supporting links below:

DC Direct Action Figures

DC Armory Action Figures
--Aquaman
--Batman
--Flamebird
--Nightwing

Superman Last Son Action Figures
--Last Son Superman
--Ursa
--Bizarro
--Zod

Shazam Action Figures
--Dr. Sivana
--Captain Marvel Jr.
--Mary Marvel
--Billy Batson and Hoppy
--Captain Marvel

Superman Vs. Doomsday
Doomsday
Lex Luthor and Robot
Solar Suit Superman
Superman

Batman and Son
Batman
Ninja Man-Bat
Robin and Daimin
The Joker

DC Direct Reactivated Action Figures
--Batman
--Wonder Woman
--Lobo
--Superman

DC 13-inch Figures
Green Lantern
Lex Luthor
Martian Manhunter
Catwoman
Nightwing
Classic Batman
Batgirl gray costume
Batgirl black costume

Elseworlds Action Figures Series 3
--Supergirl
--Batgirl
--Nightstar
--Kingdom Come Aquaman
--Red Son Green Lantern

First Appearance Series 4
--Blue Beetle translucent
--Blue Beetle
--Brave New World Atom
--Warlord
--Brave New World Martian Manhunter
--Brave New World Aquaman

Infinite Crisis Action Figures Series 1
--Powergirl
--Omac
--Mongul
--Earth Prime Superboy
--Alexander Luthor

JSA Action Figures
--Mr. Terrific
--Hawkgirl
--Dr. Midnite
--Hourman
--Golden Age Atom 2-pack

DC Direct Wonder Woman Series 1 Action Figures
--Wonder Woman
--Agent Diana Prince
--Circe
--Donna Troy as Wonder Woman

DC Direct New Frontier Series 2 Action Figures
--Batman
--Dr. Fate
--The Flash
--Martian Manhunter

Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer action figures
Battle Stretch Mr. Fantastic
Fire Blast Human Torch
Raging Thing
Force Field Invisible Woman
Silver Surfer
Lightning Attack Dr. Doom
Blast-off Human Torch
Super Strength Thing

Hanna Barbera Series 3 Action Figures
--Fred Flintstone Quittin' Time
--Twinkle Toes Fred Flintstone
--Great Grape Ape
--Huckleberry Hound
--The Jetsons
--Secret Squirrel
--Snagglepuss

McFarlane Lost series 2 action figures
--Crash site box set
--Sawyer
--Jin
--Sayid
--Desmond
--Sun
--Mr. Eko

McFarlane Lost series 3 action figures
--Sayid
--Desmond
--Claire
--Ben/Henry

Marvel Figure Factory Sets
--Angel
--Beast
--Black Costume Spider-Man
--Deadpool
--Invisible Woman
--Silver Surfer

Marvel Legends Action Figures

Hasbro Marvel Legends Figures Series 3
--Bucky Barnes
--First appearance Captain America
--Marvel Girl Rachel Grey
--Heroes for Hire Black Knight
--Hydra Soldier
--X-3 Colossus
--Astonishing X-Men Cyclops
--Danger

Hasbro Marvel Legends Icons 12-inch Action Figures
--The Punisher
--Doctor Doom
--The Human Torch
--The Silver Surfer

Marvel Legends Masterworks Sets
--Spider-Man Vs. Green Goblin
--Fantastic Four Vs. Mole Man
--Hulk Vs. The Thing
--Galactus Vs. Everybody

Marvel Select Figures

Best of Marvel Select Figures
--Grey Hulk
--Thanos
--Ultimate Spider-Man
--Green Goblin
--Mephisto

Marvel Sideshow Toys Figures
--Venom
--Black costume Spider-Man
--Spider-Man
--White Queen
--White Queen Exclusive

Pop Artifact! Captain America figure

Pop Culture Roundup Aug. 1, 2007

Bedazzled presents a whole buncha vintage TV promos and ads from the 1960s and 70s.

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British actress Jane Asher, once girlfriend of Paul McCartney, will do a guest spot in "Doctor Who" spinoff show "The Sarah Jane Adventures."

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Before he was Bond, Roger Moore was The Saint. Click here, and you can listen to a program narrated about the history of Leslie Charteris's famed character.

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TV Alert: Tonight PBS airs a documentary about the great Stax R&B record label on "Great Performances."

Complete Don Martin Mad cartoons collected in new books

New set details on this yet, but the essentials are: All Don Martin's brilliantly funny Mad magazine cartoons in two huge hardcover books in a box--1,200 pages of comic genius and the best sound effects in the business.

The collection is listed as being part of the "Mad's Greatest Artists Series," so maybe we'll see similar collections by the likes of Sergio Aragones and others.

Here's the cover pic. The release date is listed as Oct. 22 and it's available for pre-order for $94.50 from Amazon (list price $150.00).

DVD: The Adventures of Aquaman - The Complete Collection

Collecting the sea king's complete 1960s Filmation animated series, this double disk set is out Oct. 23 and available for pre-order now from Amazon.

DVD: Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Season Three

This five-disk set is due out Oct. 9 and is available for pre-order now from Amazon.

Details:

The Master of Suspense returns with all 39 Emmy-nominated Season Three episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Filled with tales of murder, madness, intrigue and suspense, this unforgettable series was renowned for its riveting storytelling and compelling characters.

DVD: Addams Family - Volume 3

This six-disk set is out Sept. 11 and available for pre-order now from Amazon.

Details:

The final 21 episodes from the second and final season--including "Gomez, The Reluctant Lover," "Morticia's Dilemma," "Fester Goes on a Diet," "Lurch's Little Helper," and "Ophelia's Career"--have been collected in a six-disc set. 9 3/4 hrs. total.Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono; Subtitles: English; audio commentary on selected episodes; trivia.

New comics Aug. 1, 2007

Click links to order discounted graphic novels from Amazon.

See complete lists:
DC Archives
DC Showcase
DC Trade Paperbacks
Marvel Masterworks
Marvel Essentials
Marvel Trade Paperbacks
Upcoming Trade Paperbacks - Graphic Novels


Comics shipping Aug. 1, 2007

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAR070030 CONAN & THE MIDNIGHT GOD #5 (OF 5) $2.99

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Today's video: X-Ray Stretch Armstrong TV ad