NOW NOW NOW!!!!!!

Also: How Obama led to getting Independence Day 2 off the ground.

“Imagine this. At a time of political turmoil, a charismatic, telegenic new leader arrives virtually out of nowhere. He offers a message of hope and reconciliation based on compromise and promises to marshal technology for a better future that will include universal health care… So, does that sound like anyone you know? Oh, wait — did I mention the leader is secretly a totalitarian space lizard who’s come here to eat us?”

The original V (circa 1984) had all the same storyline and plot twists as this new high-gloss, big-budget series premiere–but back then, it was very clear that Marc Singer, Faye Grant, and friends were battling a regime of space-lizards who, for all their promises of good will, were clearly classic Nazi-inspired sci-fi fascists. But a few choice buzzwords peppered throughout the update made it pretty clear what sort of evil Elizabeth Mitchell and Scott Wolf are facing:

Whether this is truly a sign of the “red scare” over Obamamania creeping into geek entertainment or just a sensitive Obamamaniac reading too deep into his primetime entertainment is unclear. We could get a midseries twist, a la BSG, where viewers have to wonder whether the Visitors are, in fact, the heroes of the piece (of course, for now, it is safe to assume they’re bad). For now, I am just curious to see how the show plays out in the ratings, as liberal and conservative viewers alike should be able to find aspects of this show to like–and the same aspects will appeal to those with oposing political and social philosophies differently. For instance, how will Joel Gretsch’s conflicted priest character play to religious conservatives compared with how he comes across to an atheist or agnostic viewer? Will his faith hold strong against the aliens, or will he have to give up his beliefs in order to battle the Vs? Controversial, button-pushing, debate-worthy entertainment like this is what water coolers were made for (well, after the “cooling water” thing).

Consider my perspective as an Obama voter who has started to see some cracks in the president’s polished veneer. It would be naiive to ignore the many shades of gray that play into DC politics–the special interests, the rule by committee, the cult of personality that drives the media, and the clash of personalities that stalls so much of any president’s agenda as it stumbles, in bits and pieces, one item at a time, through Congress and Senate. BUT for a black-and-white sci-fi take on how things could backfire for those of us who jumped on the Obama band wagon with both feet, V has some genuine scare power.

This isn’t all that the show is about, as the presence of the Visitors on Earth is (slightly) more complicated than just a pretty face charming the masses. It’s likely the show will quietly move away from so much potentially alienating (pun intended) anti-Obama rhetoric in favor of more general aliens bad, humans good tropes. Of course, if the Dems drop even more sharply in popularity while the series is still  in production and ratings demand it, we could see Elizabeth Mitchell donning a pair of Tina Fey glasses, putting lipstick on her pig, and shooting Vs from a helicopter in the season finale!

The Life and Times of Martha Washington in the 21st Century

interview with artist Dave Gibbons @ Newsarama

my review of Give Me Liberty @ Great Black Comic Books

Political Power: Barack Obama

3-page preview (plus cover)

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Also this week:

Stormwatch PHD #23

Tangent: Superman’s Reign V2 TP

Mayhem #2 (of 3). Co-written by Tyrese Gibson.

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Also notable:

Green Lantern Corps #40. Blackest Night tie-in.

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So Claudia, who’s  become a regular around here, has a really cool blog of her own called The Bottom of Heaven. So cool, in fact that it’s up for an award that you can vote on, so show some love, would ya?

Some British guy likes Black Lightning enough to want to make a movie.

A new Princess/Frog trailer.

And congratulations to Roland & Taneshia Laird of Still I Rise fame, who are expecting their first child.

Army of Darkness: Ash Saves Obama

6-page preview (plus variant cover)

Amazon link to buy Army of Darkness director’s cut DVD

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Also this week:

Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #4 (of 6). Art by Chriscross.

Supergirl #44. Pencils by Igle.

Squadron Supreme: Bright Shining Lies TP

Beyond Wonderland HC. Written by Gregory.

Gold Digger #110. By Perry.

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Also notable:

Daredevil #500

Archie #600. Archie pops the question!

Astro Boy Movie Adaptation #1

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In case you missed it, I’ve started a new comics blog called Great Black Comic Books. I think the title explains what it’s about. I started with Stagger Lee; I’ve since added entries for The Complete K Chronicles and Moped Army. Expect updates about twice a week or so.

Here are some images from the set of the film adaptation of The Losers.

Is a fourth Blade movie a possibility?

Slightly off-topic, but somewhat notable, I think: Armond White is a prominent black film critic notorious for his history of going against the grain on many critically acclaimed films. When he did  it again last week by giving the well-received sci-fi film District 9 a negative review, Fandom Assembled rose against him with a quickness. I’ve read his reviews in the past, thought him pretentious and contrary for the sake of being contrary, and stoppped reading him. I don’t think I gave him any thought at all until the past few weeks. Why can’t people just ignore him if they don’t like him? So he ruined the film’s perfect score at Rotten Tomatoes. So what? It’s still a legitimate hit. Nothing he writes will change that.

Joker-ized Obama Image Appears Around LA

Barack Obama: The First 100 Days

IDW’s latest Obama comic.

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Also this week:

Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink #3 (of 6)

Evil & Malice Save the World TP. By Jimmie Robinson.

Spawn #194

Gold Digger Tech Manual #6. By Fred Perry.

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I’m back in New York now, and I’ve had only sporadic access to the computer the past few days, but I expect things to settle into some kind of routine within the next week or two. So if I miss items from Comic-Con, feel free to provide me with news tips if you have them. Here’s some Comic-Con news that I haven’t posted yet:

- From the Top Cow panel: Marc Bernardin & Adam Freeman have a new project in the works called Cell Division.

- From the Wildstorm panel: B&F will also take over on The Authority after Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning. Their first arc will be about the Carrier being recalled by its creators… A new Welcome to Tranquility series is coming, which will pick up where the previous one left off.

- A Reggie Hudlin video interview.

- The Iron Man 2 panel includes comments from Don Cheadle. Also: a video interview with Cheadle.

- Black Film has a bunch of pictures from CCI.

In other news: could Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje be the Black Panther?

Supergirl #33. Pencils by Igle.

Youngblood #9. Guest-starring the First Fan.

Black Panther #6. Story and pencils by Hudlin & Lashley.

Gold Digger #109. By Perry.

Return to Wonderland TP. Written by Gregory.

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Also notable:

Green Lantern #44. Blackest Night tie-in.

Amazing Spider-Man #600

Incredible Hulk #600

Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter HC. Adapted by Darwyn Cooke.

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I’m moving back to New York next week. As much as the Midwest was fun and enlightening in many ways, I can no longer stay where I’m living and I’m out of money. This won’t affect my presence here, although I might not be able to provide updates from Comic-Con as quickly I’d like to. And I have cancelled my comic strip. What can I say? Things didn’t work out like I had hoped. Life continues…

Morgan Freeman is lined up to appear in a film based on a Warren Ellis comic.

Here’s a collection of Mandela cartoons by Zapiro.

Comics Should Be Good posts a dynamite scene from Tony Isabella’s Black Lightning.

More Obama tomfoolery courtesy of The Onion.

This video review of the movie Steel is HILARIOUS.

Drafted: 100 Days

interview with Drafted writer Mark Powers (plus five pencilled pages)

2-page preview of President Evil (plus cover)

Two new Obama comics this week – the former, a sci-fi adventure, the latter, a horror spoof.

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Also this week:

Stormwatch PHD #22

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Also notable:

Wednesday Comics #1 (of 12). An all-star lineup of creators (including Kyle Baker) doing DC superhero comics in the style of old-school Sunday comic strips, in an oversized format. Don’t wait for the trade on this one!

Intro
Dark Avengers #6 (SPLIT VERDICT)
Thunderbolts #133 (BUY IT)
Dark Wolverine #75 (SPLIT VERDICT)
Last Days of Animal Man #2 (SPLIT VERDICT)
Barack the Barbarian #1 (BUY IT)
Gotham City Sirens #1 (BUY IT)
Detective Comics #854 (BUY IT)
Dark Reign: Sinister Spider-Man #3 (BUY IT)
Dark Reign: The Hood #2 (BUY IT)
Green Lantern #42 (WAIT FOR THE TRADE)
Dark Avengers/Uncanny X-Men: Utopia #1 (SPLIT VERDICT)
Thor #602 (WAIT FOR THE TRADE)
Outro: Corrections & Apologies

Agree? Disagree? Think we don’t know what the heck we’re talking about? Leave your comments below!

Special thanks as always to Comic Smash for providing Diana & Shola’s books for review and Midtown Comics for providing Jon’s.

Barack the Barbarian

5-page preview (plus cover)

Devil’s Due’s new series puts President Obama in an age undreamt of.

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Also this week:

Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink #2 (of 6)

Perhapanauts #6

Immortal Iron Fist #27, IIF: The Mortal Iron Fist TP. Pencils by Foreman.

Squadron Supreme #12

Gold Digger Swimsuit Special 2009. By Perry.

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The Obama-worship continues with this animated cartoon (which is actually really good).

Luke Cage and Iron Fist reunite – as Thunderbolts?

Samuel Delany has a new book coming out – and here he answers fan questions.

Off-topic: The computers of artist and all-around good guy Steve Lieber got robbed recently. You can help him out by reading this.

what-ev-er

Barack Obama: The Road to the White House

interview with writer Jeff Marriotte from WonderCon

link to buy Presidential Material: Barack Obama

IDW’s second Obama comic chronicles his presidential run.

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Also this week:

Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #2 (of 6). Art by Chriscross and Stull.

War Machine #7

Gold Digger #107, GD Color Remix Mangazine Special, GD Tech Manual #4. By Perry.

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Also notable:

Captain America #600. ON SALE NOW!

Interviews with Joe Quesada and Tom Brevoort about CA#600 and Rebirth (and no, it won’t involve Isaiah Bradley)

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Legendary cartoonist Jules Feiffer talks about an Obama-related graphic novel he’s just completed.

Spike draws Bully.

Astro City: The Dark Age Book Three

Justice League of America: Injustice League TP. Written by McDuffie.

Ocean TP. This sci-fi story gets re-relased in anticipation of the movie in the works.

Spawn #192

Black Panther #5. Written and pencilled by Hudlin & Lashley.

Timestorm 2009-2099 #2 (of 4). Pencilled by Battle.

Pirates vs. Ninjas: It Takes a Pillage Pocket Manga TP. Written by Perry.

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Also notable:

Batman & Robin #1. The new series by Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely.

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On the set of the Hughes Brothers’ Book of Eli.

Marvel editor CB Cebulski has pictures of a mural that was part of a big Obama tribute at the Barcelona Comic Con in Spain this past weekend. Artist Todd Nauck, who drew the Spider-Man/Obama story in ASM #583, has a report from the show that includes pictures of the Obama display.