And I was thinking to myself last week, why Sony would pass up an opportunity to put out a Super Bowl Spot for The Amazing Spider-Man.

The new trailer gives a better idea of what the story will be, touching on Dr. Curt Connors’ character and his transformation into the Lizard, who we still only get a few brief glimpses of (if the toy photos released are any indication however, he’s gonna remind a few people of the goombas from the Bob Hoskins Super Mario Bros. movie).

Action-wise, it looks pretty good, I must admit. But dammit if that suit still doesn’t look like crap!! Well, I’m sure some fans will overlook that, after they see Spidey cracking-wise with a carjacker.

The upcoming action-thriller movie Safe House follows rogue CIA agent Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) who comes back onto the grid after a decade on the run. When the South African safe house he’s remanded to is attacked by mercenaries, a rookie operative Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) escapes with him. Now, the unlikely allies must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead.

Safe House is in theaters Friday, February 10th but we have some cool stuff to give up to you before then!

The Safe House SWAG BAG features a draw string Safe House bag, a Safe House T-Shirt and a Safe House Digital Cleaner for LCD surfaces. How do you get in on this GIVE-A-WAY? It’s easy.

First off, check out the recent TV Spot below for Safe House. After that, head over to the movie’s website and learn more about it. When you’re finished, make sure you’re following us on Twitter (@popcultureshock) and then tweet the following phrase exactly: “Follow @popcultureshock + check out the Safe House trailer http://bit.ly/zmJbNU to WIN #SafeHouseSwag“.

That’s all you have to do. If you’re lazy (like we are at PCS), simply copy and paste the above text and your entry is in! The winner will be announced via Twitter by 11AM EST opening day for Safe House.

Safe House also stars Robert Patrick (Walk The Line, Ladder 49), Vera Farmiga (Source Code) and Sebastian Roché (Supernatural, The Adventures of Tintin) and is directed by Daniel Espinosa.

Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) investigate a case where the victims’ hands and feet have been severed and each have been branded with a strange symbol. While Sam does some research at a local university, Dean heads to one of his favorite places to investigate – the town bar. Dean strikes up a conversation with a local named Lydia (Sara Canning), and the two go back to her place. Sam discovers the symbol on the bodies is a sign of Amazon warriors.

Original Air Date: 3 February 2012 — Directed by Jerry Wanek and Written by Eugenie Ross-Leming & Brad Buckner.

Coming back off of another break, Supernatural brings us a tale that’s sure to remind everybody that everything has consequences — the major subject being Dean getting a woman pregnant. Very sensitive issues are brought back up and there’s a bit of a supernatural mystery going on that doesn’t have anything to do with Amazons.

With the leads on Dick Roman going nowhere, Sam and Dean follow a case where men are being murdered gruesomely and having a strange symbol carved into their chests. Sam notices Dean drinking from Bobby’s flask and after shuffling around with excuses for why he has it, Dean misdirects his brother’s accusations by talking about the absurdity of the case they’re following.

When Dean met Lydia

While examining the latest victim, the boys get a vibe that this is possibly their type of case by way of the evidence. Tthe medical examiner tells them that one victim managed to get a piece of the perp during the struggle but analysis came back negative noting nothing human in the DNA.

Dean ditches out on research by hitting the bar where he meets the very attractive Lydia. Talking it up over drinks Dean tells Lydia about his job (as an investment banker with a sufficient fortune) pouring on the charm while Lydia talks about a past of horrible dates and no need to rush settling down which immediately gets Dean’s attention. Sizing him up as a decent enough catch for a one-nighter, Lydia takes Dean home.

A new victim pops up the next morning and while the brothers investigate the crime scene they meet Charlene Penn (Kendall Cross) the leading detective on the case. The Winchesters realize they need an expert to figure this stuff out and Dean grimly muses that their expert (Bobby) is dead. After leaving the crime scene, Dean realizes Bobby’s flask is missing possibly still over at Lydia’s.

As he phones her, Sam starts in with the jokes about how Dean actually got a number from a conquest. Dismissing it as usual, Dean catches up with Lydia who is being super elusive with him and obviously lying about the flask. After hanging up the phone with Dean the camera pulls back and we get the exact reason why Lydia was rushing Dean off the phone…

The Expert(s)?

The boys meet up with Professor Morrison (Harry Groener), an anthropology professor who seems not too interested in their case and a little too quirky. After laying out an interesting bribe for the two FBI agents he thinks he’s dealing with, Morrison reluctantly decides to take on the work leaving Sam and Dean to ponder if he really is going to be any good to them. Arguing about why they’re using him in the first place,  it’s obvious that if Bobby was still alive, they’d be consulting him instead of anyone that appears to be certified on mythology.

Dean heads back to Lydia’s to recover Bobby’s flask. While there Dean meet’s Emma, the reason why Lydia has been so busy. Mistaking Emma for a babysitting gig, Dean finds out she’s Lydia’s little girl whom he was sure was in the picture the night before. Sam calls to check up and remind Dean that they’re meeting up with medical examiner Eddie and while Dean’s on the phone, he happens to catch crib sized Emma actually speaking and asking mommy “who the guy in the other room is” while Lydia tries to shush her and wait for Dean to leave. Dean’s Spidey-senses tingle big time and he hangs back, forcing Sam to meet up with the medical examiner on his own.

Sam gets no new leads from viewing the body but does discover that the last two victims had visited the Cobalt Room (where Dean and Lydia met). Both cases coincidentally happened to be at the bar within two nights of being murdered and there’s a 2-year pattern in different locations around the US. Detective Penn arrives and unceremoniously advises Sam that the case needs to be wrapped up quickly.

Contacting Dean, Sam tells him about the connection to the murders with the Cobalt Room and that Dean’s apparently dodged a bullet. While they talk, Dean is busy staking out Lydia’s place and watches as two women appear and meet up with Lydia. Dean can’t believe his eyes. The two women and Lydia return with Emma (who now looks like a grade schooler) and the two ladies take away to an old warehouse building where Dean follows them to.

The brothers meet back up with Professor Morrison and learn that the symbol left behind on all the bodies was the major clue. These women really are Amazons and that the men (Dean included) were apparently victims in a birthing/coming of age ritual.

The weird and strange keep coming for the boys. The Amazons procreate and the maturity cycle from fetus to adult is within a matter of days. Emma is Dean’s daughter (making Sam an unwitting uncle). Detective Penn is also a member of the Amazonian cult and has made both of the Winchesters as hunters — though they don’t know that part.

Scouring Bobby’s books and journals for more research, the one key piece of research they can use is blown across the table into Dean’s line of sight. The paper contains text written in Greek that neither of them can translate on their own and Dean immediately senses something is up and it wreaks of Bobby. Sam is quick to dismiss that there’s no way Bobby could be behind the revelation given that they burned his remains. Arguing that Dean is still emotionally compromised, Sam takes the paper to Professor Morrison and orders Dean to stay put because they know someone is on the way to kill him.

Keeping it in The Family

As Sam heads to the university, Dean gets a visit from Emma (Alexia Fast) who has come of age. Father and daughter talk about options and choices with Emma saying she’s torn between her heritage and how she wants to just live her own life.

Sam and the professor go over Bobby’s note discovering that the offspring of an Amazon and the male always satisfies the birthright by killing her own father. Realizes that Dean is in a lot more trouble than either of them imagined, Sam hurries back to get to his brother but is intercepted by Detective Penn. Penn catches him by surprise, hurling him across the hallway which smashes his phone and prevents Sam from calling his brother with the warning. Before Penn can make her move on Sam, he recovers in time to shoot her in the heart.

Emma and Dean wind up in a standoff, her with a ritual dagger and Dean with a pistol. As Dean tries to reason with his daughter, Sam makes it just in time to realize that his brother is very reluctant to kill her. As Sam zeroes in on his niece, Emma makes one last attempt at pulling Dean’s strings before Sam pulls the trigger.

Attempting to stop the Amazon operation, the boys move in on the warehouse only to discover that the tribe has moved on — nothing cluing them to where they have moved on to.

As the episode closes out, Sam and Dean talk about the situation with Emma where Sam reminds Dean that this is all too similar to the circumstances with Amy (The Girl Next Door) where Sam let the monster get away and Dean had to be the one to make the kill. Sam levels with Dean, telling his older brother that his emotions will get him killed evidenced by how Dean was ready to let Emma walk. With all of the turmoil of Castiel’s and Bobby’s death and the addition of Emma’s death, it’s now clear that Dean’s head isn’t in the game.

The biggest takeaway from The Slice Girls is how it pulled a reversal on a similar situation that took place during The Girl Next Door. Given how unraveled Sam’s emotional state is currently, having Sam with the opportunity to give Dean a lecture on keeping his head focused is a real twist. Supernatural has always been a story driven on emotion and while we see the brothers in the middle of some really hardcore stuff, someone is always facing the possibility of being hurt.

The Slice Girls was a good episode, but it didn’t really bring anything to the table outside of more thinking points about how the Winchesters function. The typical “Winchester flair” just wasn’t there, but the lack of it wasn’t a deal-breaker. Seeing Sam and Dean separating as much as they have done this season is almost as nerve-wracking as it is exciting because one of these days someone is going to pay a terrible price for working solo.

Sam seems to be becoming the more responsible one as of late while Dean is getting more and more emotional. I’m sure this is building up to something critical for the storyline as season 7 keeps moving.

Next week, it looks like Sam has to face his biggest fear (clowns) when Supernatural returns with Plucky Pennywhistle’s Magic Menagerie.

You knew it was coming!!! You knew I couldn’t stay quiet about all this Before Watchmen hub-bub!!! You thought I was gonna let all you Moore fans off the hook?!?! FUCK NO!!!!

In any event, DC Comics announced this week that they will be releasing prequel miniseries based on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen, and of course, you’ve got a fair amount of fan outrage that I, for one, am not going to be a part of. Why?

This actually goes back a little to my previous installment of Fanboys Be Bitchin’, and it’s actually going to extend to the creator himself, Mr. Alan Moore. To the fans and to Alan Moore. . . .Watchmen doesn’t belong to you! Sorry to be so blunt. Sorry to state what pretty much is fact, but that’s the long and short of it. To elaborate, yes, DC’s deal with Moore and Gibbons back in the 80s was pretty cruddy. Yes, an argument could be made that given the state of comics at that particular time, how was Moore to know that the book would be so successful that DC would keep it in print indefinitely, thereby exploiting the point in the contract stating that Moore and Gibbons wouldn’t get the rights to Watchmen back until the book went out of print. Problem is, even at this point in the 80s, you’re still dealing with a business, you’re still dealing with a major corporation. You’re still dealing with a post-Richard Donner Superman world. At this point in time, regardless of what is happening exclusively within the comic book industry, you should still be mindful of the importance of controlling your intellectual property. And I refuse to believe Alan Moore, even back then, wasn’t smart enough to realize that this was a loophole DC could exploit. If you’re as much of an advocate for creator rights as you claim to be, and you have this property that care about far more than anything else you’ve ever worked on, I’m sorry, but signing a contract in which another company gets the rights to that property until . . . . . ? Sorry, but you’re being naive. This isn’t like Siegel and Shuster fighting over the rights to Superman. This isn’t Kirby and Simon fighting over the rights to Captain America. This was 25 years ago, when you had these stories to look back on as cautionary tales. I don’t wanna hear any of this, “I trusted DC to do the right thing!” bullshit!! What did Nino Brown say in New Jack City? “This is big business! This is the American way!” It’s one of the things Superman fights for!!!!

Then you’ve got all these fans now who want to be mad at DC. To them I say, what are you gonna do about it? What are you gonna do that’s going to send any kind of message to DC that they’d actually listen to? You can boycott Before Watchmen. Or boycott DC altogether? Excuse me for a minute. AAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!! There aren’t enough of you to make a boycott effective! No one’s boycotting DC, that’s number one! And even the fans mad about Before Watchmen, there are still plenty of people who are at least interested in it. And some one those people, will never have read Watchmen. But taking that interest in Before Watchmen means, they’ll eventually get around to buying Watchmen.

And maybe I could understand some of the outrage if not for some of the creative teams involved. With creators like Brian Azzarello, J. Michael Straczynski, Len Wein, Darwyn Cooke, Jae Lee, Adam Hughes, and Amanda Conner, I’m at least excited to see what these guys come up with. I could understand if you had lesser caliber people involved, but these are some heavy hitters. Not that they’ll top Watchmen, but I’m not going to subscribe to this idea that Watchmen’s legacy is tarnished or sullied by the existence of these prequels. Not gonna do it!

It’s not like DC’s putting out a book featuring Wendy from Peter Pan growing up to be a big ol’ ho-bag, or Mr. Hyde raping the Invisible Man to death! Surely no one would put out such extreme perversions of classic literary characters!

Berkeley, CA – February 2 – Top Cow Productions, Inc. is proud to announce that the winner of the Pilot Season 2011 event is Jeremy Haun’s and Jason Hurley’s THE BEAUTY.

THE BEAUTY beat out seven other competitors to take the Pilot Season crown in the most competitive voting period in the history of Pilot Season. This year saw the adoption of elimination-style voting as titles competed over three rounds to determine the overall winner. At the deadline, nearly one million votes total had been cast by fans for the Pilot Season 2011 titles. Other Pilot Season 2011 contenders included THEORY OF EVERYTHING by Dan Casey, Nick Nantell and Thomas Nachlik, ANONYMOUS by Matt Hawkins, Alan McElroy and Michael Montenat, MISDIRECTION by Filip Sablik and Chris DiBari, THE TEST by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Rahsan Ekedal, SERAPH by Lance Briggs, Phil Hester and Jose Luis, FLESHDIGGER by Shannon Eric Denton, Brad Keene and Alex Sanchez and CITY OF REFUGE by Morgan Davis Foehl and Dennis Calero.


In the world of THE BEAUTY, a new STD spreads across the world, but this is a disease you want to catch. It makes all infected people unspeakably attractive. But after the world’s face-lift, two detectives discover some nasty, undesirable side effects. Will the world decide to stay beautiful at an unspeakable cost, or resign themselves to an ordinary-looking life?


With THE BEAUTY having been declared the official winner, the creative team will now work with Top Cow’s editorial department to plan out the full series.


“Now that we’ve won we’re going to be able to finish the story. I’m really excited to do that. It’s exciting to be co-writing and drawing something like this,” said Haun. “The process is surprisingly fast and a hell of a lot of fun. The trick of it is going to be balancing work on The Beauty with my regular art duties on The Darkness monthly book. Luckily, they’re both books that I absolutely love. It also doesn’t hurt that I just love to work. As crazy as it may seem, drawing two books is kind of my idea of fun.”


“Winning Pilot Season is easily the biggest moment of my career so far, and I couldn’t be happier. It was a hard-fought battle, but thanks to all of the fans of The Beauty, we came out on top,” exclaimed Hurley. “I can’t wait to get back to work on the book. We’ve got a lot of exciting stuff planned for the future of The Beauty, and since we’ve won Pilot Season, we’ll be able to share all of that with our fans. More than anything, I just want to send a huge thank you out to all of our family, friends, and fans for their support throughout the entire voting process. It’s thanks to them that we’re able to continue The Beauty.”


This PILOT SEASON, the fans came out in full force, crashing the first poll several times for the chance to vote for their favorite 2011 Pilot Season one-shots. Pilot Season is an annual initiative Top Cow began in 2007, inspired by a concept from the television industry: a number of “pilot issues” are submitted for consideration to be “picked up for a season,” except instead of TV executives deciding their fates, it’s the fans!


Previous winners of Pilot Season include: CYBLADE, VELOCITY, TWILIGHT GUARDIAN, GENIUS and 39 MINUTES. The CYBLADE, VELOCITY and TWILIGHT GUARDIAN series have been released and can currently be found at your local comic book shop or through Top Cow’s digital distribution partners. 39 MINUTES and GENIUS are currently in production and will be given release dates soon. All eight of the 2011 competitors are available at your local comic shop or through Top Cow’s digital distribution partners including comiXology, Graphicly, and iVerse. A trade paperback collecting all eight titles is planned for release in March 2012 and will carry a price of $19.99.

Opening with a keynote address from Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson on Friday night that will include some exclusive announcements, the programming at the upcoming Image Expo on February 24-26 in Oakland, California features some of comics’ most creative personalities discussing the industry’s hottest topics, as well as talking about their own work.

The programming ranges from large event panels, like those with Saga creators Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples and The Walking Dead superstar Robert Kirkman, to small, intimate workshops with the Image Comics founders that will require advance registration to attend. Panels on topics such as women in comics, writing and art, and comics on TV will offer cogent conversation; and workshops on retailing, combating censorship, writing, and design will engage with attendees’ creativity and passion for comics. And, of course, there will be an Image Comics 20th Anniversary panel that will reunite seven of Image Comics’ founders to talk about the future of comics and reminisce about their decision to leave work-for-hire behind for independent creator ownership.

A full list of programming follows.

FRIDAY

6 p.m.
Keynote Address
Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson welcomes you to Image Expo, the comics convention that celebrates independent creativity. Expect some incisive commentary as only Stephenson can provide, plus some exclusive announcements.

SATURDAY

11 a.m
Womanthology: What Zeitgeist?
It’s no secret that diversity in comics takes up a large part of the critical discussion of the medium online. How does gender relate to who is telling a story, what story they’re choosing to tell, and how that story is perceived by an audience? Womanthology started as an online discussion, then quickly blossomed into a full-fledged idea. And from there it went on to be one of the most successful comics projects on Kickstarter. Join some of the contributors and editors to discuss the experience of making Womanthology, the role of women in comics, as well the need for more anthologies that feature new creators from a variety of backgrounds. Plus, jokes about giant crab attacks and superheroes wearing underwear.
Panelists: Bonnie Butler, Mariah Huehner, Trina Robbins, Nicole Sixx, Fiona Staples
Moderator: Blair Butler

12 p.m.
Stories and Scripts: Writing Comics
How do comics readers get their vision from their minds, to script, to the drawn page? What do you need to know about successful collaboration with artists? Some of comics’ best writers will talk about the challenges, triumphs, and idiosyncrasies of the comics creative process. Find out how comics like Fatale, Haunt, Chew, Morning Glories and Saga are conceived, written, and brought to the printed page from the writers who knew them from “PAGE ONE, PANEL ONE.”
Panelists: Ed Brubaker, Steve Seagle, Joe Casey, Jonathan Hickman, John Layman, Nick Spencer, and Brian K. Vaughan
Moderator: Richard Starkings

1 p.m
Twenty Years of Independence: The Image Comics 20th Anniversary Panel
Twenty years ago, a group of young artists left their work-for-hire jobs to forge their own path in comics. The result was Image Comics, a publisher dedicated to creators’ individual visions and a champion of creative ownership. The Image Comics partners and some of the original founders now come together to talk about that momentous meeting of minds and talent.
Panelists: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Rob Liefeld, Todd McFarlane, Whilce Portacio, Marc Silvestri, and Jim Valentino
Moderator: Eric Stephenson

2 p.m.
Saga: A Conversation with Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
One of the most-anticipated new comics of 2012 is Saga, by best-selling writer Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man, Pride of Baghdad) and the amazing artist Fiona Staples (Northlanders, Jonah Hex). The sweep of the series is epic, but its emotions are intimate: a forbidden romance and a young family on the run, set against the backdrop of galactic war and racial hatred. Vaughan and Staples will talk about the conception of their gorgeous new comic, the creative process, and the overwhelming response that it has gotten from the media months before its first issue even hits stores.
Panelists: Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples

3 p.m.
From Page to Screen: Comics on TV
How do producers go about translating comics for the small screen? How does working in comics compare to working in television? A panel of comics creators who have worked in television — whether as producers like Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead) and Brian K. Vaughan (Lost), writers like Jay Faerber (Ringer), creators like Joe Casey (Ben 10) and Todd McFarlane (Spawn), or a little bit of everything like Blair Butler — will assemble to talk about the ins and outs of the industry.
Panelists: Blair Butler, Joe Casey, Jay Faerber, Robert Kirkman, Todd McFarlane, and Brian K. Vaughan

4 p.m.
The Talking Dead Live
Is watching the recap talk show The Talking Dead after every episode of The Walking Dead part of your weekly viewing ritual? Then you won’t want to miss this panel! Chris Hardwick sits down with creator of The Walking Dead comic and executive producer of the hit AMC television series Robert Kirkman and actor Steven Yeun, who plays the fan-favorite character Glenn, for a lively conversation with The Talking Dead host Chris Hardwick about the latest shocking plot twists and what it’s like working on a show that has taken the world by storm.
Panelists: Robert Kirkman and Steven Yeun
Moderator: Chris Hardwick

5 p.m.
Spotlight on Chew
How does it feel for your comic book about an FDA agent who gathers clues by eating things — including people — to sell out, become a critical darling, win multiple awards, and appear on a New York Times bestseller list? Wait, how do you even come up with the idea for a comic about a cibopathic police-officer-turned-food-plant-inspector? You have questions about Chew. Creators Rob Guillory and John Layman just might be the right guys to answer them.
Panelists: Rob Guillory and John Layman

6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
CAPTURED GHOSTS Screening
Warren Ellis sees the future. He is a comic book writer and cyberpunk philosopher living on the edge of tomorrow. He speaks to a cult audience of artists, journalists, scientists and fans who hail him as Internet Jesus. The new film Captured Ghosts features the most extensive interview Ellis has ever given, covering his life from his first memory watching the moon landing as a child, to his recent cross-media success with the film adaptation of Red. Along the way, Ellis’ acerbic wit and core belief in humanity come across like never before. Complimenting Ellis’ own words are interviews with his artistic collaborators, friends and admirers from across all media. Ellis’ comic book collaborators also provide insight into Ellis’ mind and creative workings. The film features numerous ambient interludes that spotlight Ellis’ prose and writing from both his online columns and his comics.

SUNDAY

Instructions for Workshops
Admission to workshop panels is limited and attendees will require tickets for entry. Tickets for each panel may be picked up at the Image Comics booth no sooner than one hour before the workshop begins. Tickets are given out on a first-come, first-served basis and quantities are limited.

11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
MAN OF ACTION: Ben 10 and Explosive Creativity
Join two of animation’s most influential creators as they talk about their creation – Ben 10 – the story of a shape-shifting boy that burst on to Cartoon Network and now boasts hit television series, movies, and video games all over the world. What’s in store for MAN OF ACTION? Founding members Joe Casey & Steven T. Seagle talk Ben 10, Generator Rex, their upcoming TV shows and the Image Comics projects all rolling out of their action-filled creative development company!
MAIN ROOM
Panelists: Joe Casey and Steven Seagle

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Pro Tips with Todd McFarlane
In a world of comic book icons, comic superstar Todd McFarlane and his creation Spawn have clearly stood the test of time. Now McFarlane himself is inviting aspiring creators and fans to an extended workshop where he’ll share behind-the-scenes tips and tricks about his creative process. Armed with a Wacom and more than 20 years of experience as one of the most successful pros in the business, McFarlane will show fans how to unleash their own creative beast within!
WORKSHOP ROOM A

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Putting Words in Their Mouths: The Art of Lettering
With over 150 fonts in his Comicraft library, chances are you’ve read a comic lettered with a font designed by Richard Starkings. Join him, Chew co-creator and letterer John Layman, and letterer J.G. Roshell for a workshop on creating professional, pleasing lettering.
Panelists: Richard Starkings, John Layman and J.G. Roshell
WORKSHOP ROOM B

12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Image Introduces…
Some of Image Comics’ most exciting new creators assemble to talk about their new work and life as independent comics creators. Join the creators of Moriarty, Li’l Depressed Boy, Hell Yeah!, Witch Doctor, Peter Panzerfaust, and Skullkickers for an eye-opening conversation about what it’s really like to work in comics.
Panelists: Daniel Corey, Sina Grace, Joe Keatinge, Brandon Seifert, Kurtis Wiebe, Steven Struble, and Jim Zubkavich
MAIN ROOM

12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Retailing the New Generation of Comics
With creator-owned hits like The Walking Dead, Morning Glories, and Chew grabbing their places on the sales charts and bringing in new readers to comic shops, the comics industry is excited about new titles and new ideas. What are the best retailers in comics doing to strengthen and support the creator-owned comic revolution while competing with faceless online outlets or big box bookstores? If you’re a comic creator, retailer or fan, we’ll help you understand how to stay on top of the next wave of hidden gems.
PANELISTS: Brian Hibbs (Comix Experience), Steve (Third Eye), James Sime (Isotope), Todd Martinez (Image Comics), Jim Zub (Skullkickers)
WORKSHOP ROOM B

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Crossing the Line: Twenty Years of Shadowline
Join Jim Valentino and some Shadowline superstars for a rollicking question-and-answer session about Shadowline Comics past, present and future — plus dancing bears and a few surprises. Well, maybe not the bears (but we’ll try).
Panelists: Jim Valentino, Jimmie Robinson, Kurtis Wiebe, Tyler Jenkins, Joshua Williamson and Jade Dodge
MAIN ROOM

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Portfolio Reviews with Erik Larsen (a.k.a. Larsen Tears You a New One)
Image Comics partner and Savage Dragon creator Erik Larsen, will be imparting artistic wisdom via no-holds-barred portfolio reviews… for those that have the guts! A random drawing will be done during the workshop to determine which aspiring artists in attendance will be chosen to have the brutal light of truth shine upon their work. Larsen’s ready to tell you what he really thinks! Can you handle it?
WORKSHOP ROOM A

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Design Workshop with Jonathan Hickman
The creator of The Nightly News, Pax Romana, A Red Mass for Mars, and the upcoming Secret and The Manhattan Projects will address the basics of making your work stand out: cover design, book design, design strategies, personal branding, and understanding what appeals to your market.
WORKSHOP ROOM B

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Top Cow Panel
Top Cow: We Create… REBIRTH
2012 is the best time EVER to jump into the Top Cow Universe with Rebirth. Get the scoop on what’s changed, what remains the same, and where things are headed for the rest of the year. Get behind-the-scenes information on the making of The Darkness II video game and be the first to hear about what exciting new projects Top Cow has lined up for their 20th anniversary! Plus special surprise guests and a free giveaway for every attendee. Moo!
Panelists: Marc Silvestri, Matt Hawkins, Filip Sablik, and Joshua Hale Fialkov
MAIN ROOM

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Jim Valentino Workshop
Shadowline publisher and Image co-founder Jim Valentino discusses what he’s looking for in new projects, the founding of Image, and his work with the Hero Initiative. He will be doing portfolio reviews with a donation to the Hero Initiative ONLY. We will have a donation jar in the room.
WORKSHOP ROOM A

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
CBLDF: The History (and Future) of Comics Censorship
Learn the shocking history of comics censorship and how even today comics and the people who make, sell and read them are still threatened. CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein tells the sordid tale, from the public book burnings and Senate hearings that led to the Comics Code Authority in the 1950s through the attacks on retailers in the 1980s, artists in the 1990s, and readers today that the CBLDF is working to combat!
WORKSHOP ROOM B

3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Portfolio Reviews with Whilce Portacio
Whilce Portacio, creator of Wetworks and current artist on Incredible Hulk, will offer thoughtful tips and critiques for artists looking to break into the comic book industry. A random drawing will determine which lucky artists will get a personal review during the workshop. Bring your portfolio for an hour of a guidance from a master of the medium!
WORKSHOP ROOM A

3 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Writing Workshop with John Layman
The writer of the best-selling comic Chew (drawn by Rob Guillory) will talk about the fundamentals of crafting a story, drafting a script, and effectively communicating your intentions to artists.
WORKSHOP ROOM B

3 p.m. 4 p.m.
Take to the Sky: Skybound and the Next Generation of Independence
Things continue to look up for Skybound, Robert Kirkman’s imprint at Image Comics. The premiere original Witch Doctor has sold out nationwide, the all-ages hit Super Dinosaur continues to soar, and And Kirkman’s first-ever writer’s room-driven crime drama, Thief of Thieves, is a critical success… what’s next? Join Robert Kirkman as he discusses the future of the imprint with his stable of creators, including the creative teams behind Witch Doctor, Thief of Thieves, and more! Expect only AWESOMENESS.
Panlists: Robert Kirkman, Brandon Seifert, and Nick Spencer
MAIN ROOM

4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Robert Kirkman Q&A
Kirkman, one of the most successful writers in comics today, best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible, and Haunt, will offer fans some insight into the genius behind their favorite hit comics. After becoming an Image Comics partner in 2009, introducing the internationally renowned hit TV show based on the comic, The Walking Dead on AMC, and recently announcing an upcoming video game adaptation of the same series from TellTale Games, he has proven to be an unstoppable creative force.
MAIN ROOM

4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Covers and an Eye for Talent: Marc Silvestri Workshop
Join Top Cow founder, Image partner, and top industry artist Marc Silvestri as he takes a look at two facets that have helped define his career. Silvestri is best known in the industry as a highly-sought cover artist and as an incredible mentor for young artists who have come through his studio system at Top Cow. In this intimate workshop, Marc will present his thoughts on what makes a dynamic, memorable cover using his own pieces as examples and also tell young, aspiring artists what he looks for in undiscovered talent. Find out what draws the eye of the man who discovered Michael Turner, David Finch, Joe Benitez, Francis Manapul, Mike Choi, and many, many others!
WORKSHOP ROOM A

4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Creating Living Legend: Eric Shanower and Age of Bronze
Relive the Trojan War in Age of Bronze, Eric Shanower’s award-winning comics version of the world’s greatest story. With words and pictures, Shanower will detail his creative process from initial idea, through research into literary sources and archaeological remains, to writing and drawing comics pages and coloring for the digital edition.
WORKSHOP ROOM B

While it’s still hard to overlook director John Chu’s previous credits, which include two Step Up sequels, and a Justin Beiber documentary, I can’t help but get excited for G.I. Joe Retaliation, especially after seeing the below Superbowl Spot. I was psyched enough knowing Jinx was gonna be in the movie (as played by Future Ex-Wife alum, Elodie Yung, no less!), but now we’ve got a clear shot of Cobra Commander in the classic mirrored faceplate helmet (with a swagger that can only be described as “fuck a Joseph Gordon-Levitt!”), Roadblock rhyming (albeit quoting Jay-Z), and the goddamn Cobra H.I.S.S. Tank!!!! For someone like me, who as a kid, couldn’t let my mom leave K-Mart without getting me a G.I. Joe action figure, this movie looks to be hitting some major notes!

HD video available on iTunes Movie Trailers website.

We’ve talked about A.K.A. on here before, and now readers can check out the 4-issue mini-series for themselves through the site, Graphicly.com. Each issue will be released on a weekly basis throughout the month of February, for $1.99 each.

From Steven Walters and Rob Reilly comes a pulse pounding, adrenalin fueled ode to 70′s grindhouse films with A.K.A. When henchman, Adrian Truelove, messes with the wrong mob boss’ daughter, a million dollar bounty is declared on his head and only Guy Doyle, a ruthless hired gun, can bring him in. When insane killers and thugs hear about the bounty a race begins that can only end in blood, betrayal and bullets. This double-sized first issue of A.K.A contains three back-up features by some of today’s hottest and up and comics comic creators making A.K.A the must read comic of the year! Additional Content by Joe Kelly, Bryan J.L. Glass, John Broglia, David Zuzelo, Jay Piscopo.

Stephen Amell has landing the lead role of Oliver Queen in the pilot for CW’s Arrow, according to Deadline.

Described as a modern retelling of the story of DC Comics character Green Arrow, he will play the vigilante superhero who fights crime using archery, martial arts and technology under his secret identity as Oliver Queen, a wealthy playboy and billionaire industrialist-turned-outspoken politician in Star City.

Amell has previously appeared in other CW shows, including 90210 and The Vampire Diaries, as well as HBO’s Hung.

David Guetta’s current album Nothing But The Beat keeps churning out the singles and this time the popular DJ/Producer teams up with Nicki Minaj for the fifth single from the album Turn Me On.

In this new video, we watch as Guetta plays a mad scientist creating his very own Nicki Minaj from scrap parts. Once the doll is assembled (her plastic skin is shiny and completely bare), she slowly transforms into the very human-looking Nicki and Guetta unleashes it onto the world.

As one of the stronger tracks from the album, the very stylish music video complements the song completely.

Be careful, this video may be considered NSFW!!!

Oscar winner Denzel Washington (Unstoppable, The Book of Eli) and Ryan Reynolds (Green Lantern, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) star in the action-thriller Safe House. Washington plays the most dangerous renegade from the CIA, who comes back onto the grid after a decade on the run. When the South African safe house he’s remanded to is attacked by mercenaries, a rookie operative (Reynolds) escapes with him. Now, the unlikely allies must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead.

Also starring Robert Patrick (Walk The Line, Ladder 49) and Sebastian Roché (Supernatural, The Adventures of Tintin) and directed by Daniel Espinosa, Safe House is in theaters February 10, 2012. Check out the trailer below and for more information on Safe House, head to the movie’s website and become a fan on their Facebook page.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but if there’s one thing that pisses me off, it’s hearing about another rapper who owes mad taxes to the IRS. With news breaking of Bow Wow owing close to 100 G’s, and Soulja Boy being just plain broke (well, that one kinda gives me the happies!), among others, it just seems rather baffling to me that these niggas still have not learned anything from stories like MC Hammer’s and others who came before them.

Now, a lot of celebrities and artists seem to get wrangled up by the tax man at some point, but when it comes to rap and hip-hop, it seems like almost every one of them eventually makes the news because of their financial woes. It’s a sad irony for a genre so centered around wealth and power, and most of them are living day-to-day like the rest of us schlubs! How many of these dudes are as liquid as they make themselves out to be in their rhymes? How many of these dudes have maxed out their credit? How many of these people even have reputable professionals to manage their finances, and advise them that they need not be doin’ the dumb nigga shit they be doin’?!

So the big question becomes, what needs to happen? Clearly, cats like Soulja Boy and Bow Wow never really learned the value of a dollar, and the saving grace for them, at least, as that they’re still young. Soulja Boy in particular should take what little money he has left and get his narrow ass a business degree, if he insists on continuing with his “rap” career. Hell, look at Diddy!!!! You don’t the tax man coming for his non-rappin’ ass!!! And while you’re at it, maybe you don’t need that new Lambourgini. Maybe you need to look at yourself in the mirror when you’re about to buy iced out Crayola box chain . . . . and realize how much you look like a goofy bastard wearing it. Maybe you need to just hire better financial advisers, instead of giving the job to your boy, Ray-Ray, from the old neighborhood!

And at the end of the day, niggas . . . I implore you . . . . PAY YO COTDAMN TAXES!!!!!!

Hollywood Producer Joel Silver is looking to develop a live-action feature film based on the Cartoon Network series, Ben 10.

Created by Man of Action, (comprised of comic creators Joe Kelly, Joe Casey, Duncan Rouleau, and Steven T. Seagle) the popular franchise is about a boy who acquires a watch-like alien device called the Omnitrix (later the Ultimatrix) attached to his wrist that allows him to turn into alien creatures.

Two live-action made-for-television films were produced for Cartoon Network, but Silver’s potential film will most likely be completely recast.

Deadline is reporting that 20th Century Fox has just closed a deal to bring back Matthew Vaughn to direct the follow-up to the X-Men prequel/reboot, X-Men First Class. In addition to Vaughn, Bryan Singer will be back on to produce.

Not much I can say about JQuest. The Boston M.C. is doing what he can to make a name for himself, and for what it’s worth, “Shopaholic” isn’t a bad track. The production is serviceable, and JQuest’s rhymes are well thought-out. There’s some effort in his lyricism, even if the subject matter’s a bit tiresome. We’ll see what else he’s got to offer when his Lost Tapes EP comes out later this year.

Check out callofduty.com/elite, for more info.

I can only hope the people behind these fragrances mean for those to be bought purely for novelty’s sake, ’cause I expect they put about as much effort into actually making these smell good as they do any given celebrity fragrance. Although, I will give them credit for giving Loki’s Mischief a distintive bottle, compared to the ones for the actual Avengers themselves. Either way, I’d probably sooner buy Sex Panther (and you actually can!!!!)

Lamar Smith, the chief sponsor of SOPA, announced today that he is pulling the bill “until there is wider agreement on a solution.”

Coming down after widespread protest on the Internet on Wednesday by Wikipedia, Reddit and other websites the world over, Smith reversed his stance just two days after he told The Wall Street Journal that he didn’t plan to back down on SOPA, and informing the newspaper he expected to “move forward” with the bill in February.

The websites that staged blackout signaled their displeasure with the bill by going dark and not allowing any content to be utilized. That day, several Congressmen dropped their support for SOPA and its Senate counterpart, PIPA. As of this moment, PIPA has been taken off the table for now. While Wikipedia and cohorts went dark, an alarmingly few popular websites (Facebook and YouTube to name a few) stayed out of the blackout altogether. Although Facebook did not go dark for SOPA, the company has expressed its opposition to the bill. On Wednesday, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg comments his thoughts on SOPA, calling the legislation “poorly thought out.”

“I have heard from the critics and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy,” Smith (R-Texas) said. “It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products.”

Thanks Mashable  for passing along the info.

Bethesda Softworks has released the trailer for Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition.

This complete package, which includes the full version of Fallout: New Vegas as well as the Dead Money, Honest Hearts, Old World Blues and Lonesome Road add-on packs allows you to experience everything that New Vegas has to offer. To sweeten the pot, you’ll be armed with the latest cache of unique weapons, ammo types and recipes from the most recent add-on packs Courier’s Stash and Gun Runners Arsenal.

Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition releases in North America on February 7th 2012 and throughout Europe on February 10th.