Music new releases June 12, 2012: Hot Chip; Pat Metheny; the dBs; Bill Evans; Brubeck; ELO; the Zombies, more!

Click the links to order discounted items from Amazon.


In Our Heads by Hot Chip


Unity Band by Pat Metheny


Falling Off the Sky by the dBs


Live at Art D'Lugoff's Top of the Gate by Bill Evans


Classic Albums Collection by ELO


Tomorrow Sunny & The Revelry by Henry Threadgill and Zooid


Complete Columbia Albums Collection by the Byrds


The Columbia Studio Albums Collection 1955-1966 by the Dave Brubeck Quartet


One Day I'm Going to Soar by Dexys


Treasury Shows 16 by Duke Ellington


The Complete RCA Albums Collection by Paul Desmond


Live at Metropolis Studios London by the Zombies

DVD new releases June 12, 2012: Sherliock Holmes: A Game of Shadows; Ghost Rider; Superman and the Elite; Sarah Jane Adventures Season 5; Chaplin's Gold Rush: Criterion Edition; Doctor Who, more!

Click the links to order discounted items from Amazon.


Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows


Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance


Harold and Maude (The Criterion Collection)

 
Superman vs The Elite


Sarah Jane Adventures: Complete Fifth Season


The Gold Rush (The Criterion Collection)


Doctor Who: Story 134 - Resurrection Of The Daleks (Special Edition)


Doctor Who: Story 48 - The Seeds Of Death (Special Edition)


Meatballs


Julie Newmar photos




First pic of Matt Smith with new Doctor Who companiion Jenna Louis-Coleman

The BBC has released this new picture of the Doctor with new companion, Clara, played by Jenna Louise-Coleman.

From the BBC site:
We caught up with Matt Smith who told us, ‘It [filming on the new series] is going well. Jenna brings a really different energy to the show – one which I think is very interesting.’

Shooting is well-underway for the Doctor’s latest adventures and the second read-through featuring Jenna-Louise Coleman as the new companion took place earlier this week at the BBC’s Roath Lock Studios.

Teen Titans return in animated series

I thought the original 2003-2006 Titans series was a blast, so comes as great news. From the press release:
DC Nation, Cartoon Network’s home for action-packed animated series and original shorts based on characters from DC Comics (Saturdays 10:00–11:00 a.m. ET/PT), will soon be joined by a new generation of superheroes as Teen Titans Go!, a brand-new half-hour comedy-action series inspired by Warner Bros. Animation’s original fan-favorite series Teen Titans, shows the humorous side of being a teenage hero.

Teen Titans Go! features the return of Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg in all-new, comedic adventures. Character-driven comedy is the order of the day as this new take on the super hero series focuses on the funny business that happens between saving the world and living together as teenagers without adult supervision. They may be super heroes who save the world every day … but somebody still has to do the laundry! With the ability to turn into any animal or detach their robotic limbs, teenage pranks reach a whole new level. And even super heroes have to take Driver’s Ed. to get a license – especially after wrecking the Batmobile on an unauthorized joy ride to impress a girl!

Featuring the principal voice cast from the original series – Greg Cipes as Beast Boy, Scott Menville as Robin, Khary Payton as Cyborg, Tara Strong as Raven and Hynden Walch as Starfire – Teen Titans Go! recaptures everything audiences loved about the original show, while adding laughter at the lighter side of being a super hero. 
Executive produced by Sam Register (Green Lantern: The Animated Series, The Looney Tunes Show, Teen Titans), with Michael Jelenic (ThunderCats, Batman: The Brave and the Bold) and Aaron Horvath (MAD, El Tigre) as producers, this side-splitting series will premiere on Cartoon Network in 2013 as part of the DC Nation programming block.

Photo: nice colleciton of Mego superhero figures


Video find: Paul McCartney "Rockestra" documentary

A making-of film on the recording of this 1978 track, which features performances by David Gilmour, John Bonham, Ronnie Lane, John Paul Jones and others.

DC Comics announces four new series: Talon, Amethyst; Phantom Stranger and more

Here are details on four new series DC Comics is introducing this September:

TALON – Co-Writers: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV. Artist: Guillem March. Meet Calvin Rose, the only Talon to ever escape the grasp of the Court of Owls. This former assassin of the Court is trying to live a normal life … but that’s impossible when he’s being hunted by his former masters!

SWORD OF SORCERY – Writer: Christy Marx. Artist: Aaron Lopresti. Featuring the return of Amethyst, Amy Winston leads a strange life on the road with her mother and resents it. She’s about to learn it’s all been necessary when she discovers she’s the lost princess of Gemworld—and she’s being hunted by her murderous aunt. With a back-up story written by Tony Bedard with art by Jesus Saiz, set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, the monstrous warrior Beowulf is charged with finding and defeating the evil Grendel.

THE PHANTOM STRANGER – Writer: Dan DiDio. Artist: Brent Anderson. Spinning out of his recent appearances in JUSTICE LEAGUE and DC’s Free Comic Book Day story, learn more about the true origin of The Phantom Stranger and his connection to the mysterious Pandora.

TEAM SEVEN – Writer: Justin Jordan. Artist: Jesus Merino. Set in the early days of DC COMICS-THE NEW 52, threads of the entire DC Universe collide. As Superman emerges, so does the world’s counter measures against him and his kind. Team 7 is comprised of Dinah Lance, Amanda Waller, Steve Trevor, John Lynch, Alex Fairchild, Cole Cash and Slade Wilson — and their story will change everything you know about DC COMICS-THE NEW 52.

How long is DC going to continue the "New 52" tagline? Are there even 52 titles now, given cancellations and new additions? I don't think the phrase means much to new readers.

Oh well, it's good to see them adding providing variety genre-wise.

Photo: Marilyn Monroe in hat



Pop Culture Roundup: Tarzan; Spider-Man; Thor; Ray Bradbury

Ripper Jagger's Dojo is a great spot for Tarzan fans lately. Check out this spotlight on Tarzan paperback cover artist Richard Powers. Plus, all this summer, Rip is serializing Edgar Rice Burroughs' "The Return of Tarzan."


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British actor Andrew Garfield, who stars as Peter Parker in the upcoming "Amazing Spider-Man,"  says he was bullied as a kid and that Spidey comics helped him cope through tough times while growing up.

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I really like the cartoony Kirby vibe of Michael Cho's superhero art. Check out this awesome new painting of Thor.

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The first time a Ray Bradbury story got adapted in a comic book, it wasn't exactly with the author's permission. Read this Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed post about the late sci-fi author's amusing run-in with EC Comics.