Bleeding Cool Comic Book, Movies and TV News and Rumors

Easter Eggs, Hints And Mysteries – A Close Look At The First Trailer For Wright And Pegg’s The World’s End

Brendon Connelly — Wed, 22 May 2013 01:40:38 +0000

There’s a new, longer trailer for Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg’s The World’s End coming in about 15 hours, but I’m still chewing on ideas and images from the first one.

I’ve taken it apart, shot by shot, and going from screen capture to screen capture, I want to point out some small details, observations and analysis. While I will draw on a few sources other than the trailer itself, nothing that follows comes from anywhere other than the public domain.

We start with images from what appears to be a flashback sequence, steeped in summery nostalgia. Note how Gary and Andy, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s characters, are the ones keeping their T-shirts on.

Gary is in the middle – he is the protagonist, after all.

This period was not the Super 8 era, of course – the look is being used for nostalgic effect. Why not VHS, though? We all know Edgar Wright shot a lot of VHS in his teen years, even if his first film, Rolf Harris Saves The World, was a Super 8 production.

And here, Gary’s conspicuous by his absence. For a moment.

Some proof that, in his youth at least, this lad could jump fences.

The sound effect suggests he’s just rang the doorbell for no reason whatsoever and is now running away. We used to call this Knock Down Ginger. For some reason, adolescents – and today, possibly even toddlers – find this a good way to spend their free time.

They also find this a good way to spend their free time. But this hobby tends to last longer.

It seems like beer is very important in this film. Obviously.

The communal experience of all getting stuck into beer together. Not something I’ve ever been through, I have to say. Maybe some of this film is just going to fly over my head.

But being in a pub, making eye contact with a girl or group of girls across the way? I can understand that, at least.

These girls were amongst the subjects of a previous story on the site. At that time we learned that it was important that the actresses could sing. Keep that in mind. Also note their hair colours.

To us it’s the Three Flavours, Blood and Ice Cream or Cornetto Trilogy but putting that in a trailer might alienate some viewers who think they have to watch the other two first and then got asking for Blood and Ice Cream 1 in HMV.

Here’s Gary King in the middle of the lineup, all black from top to bottom, arms raised. There’s not much more he could be doing here to become the focus of this shot. King by name, King by nature.

Also note: the faux low-gauge look has been dropped and we’re also now full frame.

Here we get to see the signs of the eleven pubs that are instrumental to the film. We start, as you would, with The First Post which has a crossroads on it and a letterbox. I don’t think these will be coincidental – somebody’s going to be at a juncture in their life, and I expect it will be three-way split; I’d also be surprised if a package, letter or e-mail doesn’t play some important part. Double post meaning ahoy.

I expect these pub signs work as something like chapter titles. The Old Familiar, with just two pints on display, might suggest that we start with just a pair, probably Simon Pegg as Gary King and Nick Frost as Andy Knightley, coming together. They are King and Knightley after all.

Though, as we’ll see later, the group all seem to convene at the same time, so it’s more likely to be the pair teaming up, banding together or agreeing in some sense.

And then they’ll be joined by The Famous Cock. Paddy Considine’s character, Steven, has apparently been something of a rocker in the past, so I’m thinking this might be where he comes in. Or maybe it’s Martin Freeman as Oliver or Eddie Marsan as Peter who’s being framed as a “cock.”

But I think they’ll all come together in The Cross Hands, and make their commitment to completing the Newton Haven pub crawl, at least two decades after they first attempted it.

If you look at the sign of The Good Companions, you’ll see one mask bears a smile and the others are all on a bit of a downer. With the mask being in the centre like that – and also because he’s the lead character, naturally most likely to be singled out – I might assume that Gary King is the happy one.

Is that Paddy Considine’s face on the sign for The Trusty Servant? So who is his character going to be a servant to? Will this just indicate his subservient nature? Or is he, perhaps, in service to the film’s “villains” that, actually, we haven’t even seen or spoken of yet?

Cerberus is probably the most famous multi-headed dog, but he did have a brother, Orthrus, who has just two skulls. I doubt this is really a mythological reference, though – at least not so much as something resonant to character details.

My best guess is that we’ll find out here that one of the characters has been rather two-faced.

The Mermaids, three of them, a couple with blonde hair, a redhead in the middle – just the same set up as with the girls in the flashback. Mermaids are rather like sirens, and sirens sing… I think these girls are bad news.

There aren’t any obvious clues on the sign for The Beehive. I do have some very clear ideas about what’s happening here, but we’ll come back to that later, when the “bees” arrive.

There are playing card suits – a club and a diamond – in the doorframe design. And check out the sign telling us that this pub offers “A Welcome to All Good Hearted People.”

Hearts and heads in the same signage.

The King’s Head was missing from some versions of the original teaser poster. I’m curious as to why. And yes, that’s obviously Simon Pegg’s face, and he’s playing a character called King. I wonder if the characters will actually notice this?

The Hole in the Wall doesn’t seem too suggestive of anything too meaningful, but I think one shot later in the trailer will a least give us a fairly good idea of what makes the hole.

And finally, we’re at The World’s End. Like The First Post, we don’t see the actual pub. I wonder if we ever will?

Click through to the next page to continue.

Easter Eggs, Hints And Mysteries – A Close Look At The First Trailer For Wright And Pegg’s The World’s End

Grace Randolph’s Stacktastic! The Fate Of James Gordon Jr

Rich Johnston — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:49:58 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Grace Randolph writes;

James Gordon Jr is an unlikely star of the New 52, popping up in Batman, Batgirl and now Suicide Squad! I’ll give mythoughts on this higher profile for the son of Commissioner Jim Gordon. Is this a fair thing to do to Jim Gordon? And is James Gordon Jr a good villain for Barbara Gordon aka Batgirl? And are you excited to see how his relationship develops with Amanda Waller over in Suicide Squad? Share your own thoughts on the new star of DC Comics, James Gordon Jr! Think About The Ink is presented by Bleeding Cool.

Grace Randolph’s Stacktastic! The Fate Of James Gordon Jr

A Comic Show – Bounce, Sex And Green Lantern

Rich Johnston — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:36:23 +0000

Click here to view the embedded video.

Aaron Haaland of A Comic Shop of Florida writes;

Hey Fandom! It’s me Aaron for A Comic Show’s NEW COMICS NOW and I’m totally geeking out to Green Lantern #20! But I talk about other comics this week, I swear!

First I tackle the Man of Action, Joe Casey, and review both his new book Bounce and Sex #3. The guy has a unique voice and I like seeing it on his own creations more than his DC/Marvel writing. It feels like he’s trying a Mark Millar type sex-and-drugs indy buzz book thing, time will tell if it works.

Marvel has Superior Spider-man and Inferior Deadpool. Otto and Wade together is as fun as you imagine it to be! I’m so ready for Superior Spider-month! Uncanny Avengers #8AU gives some Remender Havok in the Age of Ultron. Young Avengers #5 ended the first arc quite nicely; this book has bottled the magic you see from time to time with teen teams.

Batman Li’l Gotham #2 was freaking fun. This is a Harley, Ivy, Catwoman girl’s night out. Justice League #20 came out with a surprise guest star and the underdogs vs Despero. But really, you know I just want to talk Green Lantern! I loved Geoff Johns’ final issue epic and I apologize for sounding like a giddy little fanboy, but it filled me with fanjoy! Seriously, I’ve been hounding Johns to bring back G’nort for years. I even mentioned it was the one thing he didn’t do for me in my From Johns to Venditti video. Yup, G’nort’s in a couple panels! It’s not a spoiler, just a little aside, but it meant the world to me. Also, most anything else I could mention is a spoiler, every beat was bad ass. Kyle’s book was also very touching with the reunion of him and his deadbeat daddy and another reunion that I didn’t see coming.

Thanks for watching, and thanks Geoff Johns for giving me and Guy our dog back!

A Comic Show – Bounce, Sex And Green Lantern

Video: Guillermo Del Toro Introduces One Of Pacific Rim’s Big Sci-Fi Ideas, “The Drift”

Brendon Connelly — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:24:47 +0000

As you’ll know if you’ve been reading my posts about this film, I’ve been waiting for more information on just the thing this Pacific Rim featurette details for us – the curious mind-melding piloting technology that they’re calling “The Drift.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

You saw Rob Kazinsky there, an Eastenders alum who was originally cast in The Hobbit but quit for “a health issue.” How curious to have him turn up here on Guillermo’s next projet – though, yes, I was glad to see him, and that he seems well.

You know, Pacific Rim looks more interesting to me every day.

Video: Guillermo Del Toro Introduces One Of Pacific Rim’s Big Sci-Fi Ideas, “The Drift”

Crossing Absolution Rubicon

Rich Johnston — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:00:55 +0000

I love conflicts of interest. I love the sound they make as you run up towards them and they smack you in the face.

So anyway, William Christensen of Avatar, Bleeding Cool’s owners, sent me the first three issues of inks of the new Absolution series by Christos Gage and Daniel Gete and asked me to write about them, whatever I thought.

Thankfully I like them.

When we last left the series, John Dusk had had his sins found out. A super-powered policeman with a Green Lantern power set, working alongside a number of others, he had turned Dexter-style serial killer, murdering those who slipped through the system or for whom a prison sentence would not have seemed fit punishment.

He was found out, he was captured, he was tried and… he was freed. By one of his co-workers.

So now what?

Absolution Rubicon. The moment where you pass the point of no return.

We open in a court case, with leading criminals getting their cases overturned because they relied on evidence gathered by Dusk which was now tainted. So they get to walk Scott free. And then John Duck kills them. And that’s where I thought this comic was going until all the criminals suddenly decide they like staying in jail.

But that’s when the comic shifted, because a power play between politicians over who is in charge, why the rule of law matters to some more than other, and the moral compromises made by all sides, some with beneficial effects, some not. And because this is Avatar, a decision is made, the consequences of which sees soldiers ripper apart and their bodies strewn up on a fairy chain for display.

Sometimes it’s a good thing just to see the art without the colour added. Seriously, I’m eating here. It’s also a pleasure to see the unencumbered line of Gete, who gives us some remarkable “acting” scenes, so much character portrayed in the body language of people who are, well, just standing there. No short cuts here, the characters live and breathe on the page.

There’s also the matter of Happy Kitty, who is Hit Girl turned up to the max and thrown through Japanese pop culture. Which, in this case, means a young girl swinging samurai swords with panty shots. The comparisons with Hit Girl are amped up in this second series, as she is inspired by Dusk to join him. Oh and we also get a Batman analogue by way of The Punisher called The Urban Legend. And we have our own Trinity, just without a Superman. Because we have that in a really big bad guy.

And that’s the balance we have. Three bad guys trying to be good guys, condemned by the powers-that-be but appreciated by their underlings. And a Superman, destroying everything, yet sanctioned by the guys on top.

It’s a power play. And because this isn’t the DCU, no matter how much it resembles it in part, anything can happen. And probably will.

Absolution Rubicon #1 is published in full color by Avatar Press in June.

Crossing Absolution Rubicon

Countdown to the Eisners – Best Continuing Series

Rich Johnston — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:00:59 +0000

Cameron Hatheway writes;

I’ve always found the following category to be a little tricky; a continuing series means one that has been around for more than a year, right? Because if it’s still relatively new, what’s keeping a great series from sweeping both Best Continuing Series and Best New Series? This year’s crop of contenders has titles in both categories (Saga, Hawkeye), which doesn’t really make sense to me personally. Nevertheless, today I’ll be focusing on the Best Continuing Series category. If you need a reminder of what’s been nominated, you can find the entire list right here, and see what I chose last time right here.

Keep in mind I cannot vote for who wins (nor can you, probably), as per the rules. However, that’s not keeping me from being vocal regardless!

Who is not eligible to vote?

Comics press or reviewers (unless they are nominees)
Non-creative publisher staff members (PR, marketing, assistants, etc.)
Fans

Before I get back to work on Rich Johnston’s BlueWater graphic memoir so I can be eligible for next year, let the games begin!

Best Continuing Series

Fatale, by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (Image)

A beautiful woman with a mysterious past, a reporter in too deep, and human sacrifices for supernatural beings. The latest collaboration between Brubaker and Phillips, Fatale is a wonderful blend of noir, science-fiction, and horror with a dash of the occult for good measure.

Hawkeye, by Matt Fraction and David Aja (Marvel)

This is not your average superhero comic. Instead of fighting crime on a global scale, Fraction and Aja take Clint Barton and have him patrol just his own turf in New York City. The supporting cast of characters is great, and Aja’s use of color and facial expressions are just plain fantastic.

The Manhattan Projects, by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra (Image)

Anything with ‘Hickman’ and ‘Image’ is a must-read comic. Exploring the story of what happened when developing the atomic bomb, Hickman and Pitarra run wild with the most insane ideas of what the scientists behind the Manhattan Project were really up to. A very well-thought out and illustrated comic, and brought to you by the same team behind Red Wing.

Prophet, by Brandon Graham and Simon Roy (Image)

The series was started by Rob Liefeld back in the 90’s, but with the relaunch headed by Graham and Roy comes one of the most far out science-fiction comics in recent memory. Every story arc focusing on a different John Prophet makes for some exciting reading, for Graham’s imagination is so grand that you seriously have no idea where the story could be going. It’s also great that you can start from the relaunch, and not have to worry about going back and starting from the very beginning.

Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)

The series that brought Vaughan back to the comics medium definitely lives up to the hype. Telling a story reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet meets The Fifth Element, Vaughan and Staples throw us in the middle of a galactic war where magic and science are frequently being used in battle. Immediately you care for Marko and Alana, and hope that Hazel is going to live to tell the tale of how her parents first met.

Who I think should win:
The Manhattan Projects, by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra (Image)

I originally thought this was going to be a miniseries, but became pleasantly surprised when I found out it was an ongoing. Hickman’s brilliant story of history’s greatest scientists working together continues to be a must-read month after month. Pitarra’s art style compliments the mesmerizing characters and events, and really takes these out-of-this-world ideas to the next level.

Just when you think Hickman has blown your mind, the next story arc begins and makes you realize that you’ve ain’t seen nothing yet. With a series like The Manhattan Projects, one could hope it runs for 60 issues. By far one of the most enjoyable series at Image being published right now.

Who I think could win:
Hawkeye, by Matt Fraction and David Aja (Marvel)

Bro, this series is mad-sick bro. Taking a character like Hawkeye and making a successful ongoing series is no small feat, and yet Fraction and Aja make it look easy. The covers and interiors by Aja are major eye-candy, and Fraction’s stories and dialogue make it one of the best titles at Marvel right now.

Who I think should have been nominated:
Scalped, by Jason Aaron and R.M. Guéra (DC/Vertigo)

By far one of the best series I’ve read in the past five years. Aaron and Guéra deserve some major props for their magnificent 60-issue run.

Who do you think should win / been nominated?

Cameron Hatheway is the host of Cammy’s Comic Corner and Arts & Entertainment Editor of the Sonoma State STAR. You can have dinner with him and Dr. Oppenheimer on Twitter @CamComicCorner.

Countdown to the Eisners – Best Continuing Series

Ben Templesmith’s Cover To Liberator #3

Rich Johnston — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:00:47 +0000

Ben Templesmith‘s cover to Liberator #3 from Black Mask, everyone.

Ben Templesmith’s Cover To Liberator #3

Bleeding Cool Fan Awards 2013 End Voting Tonight!

Rich Johnston — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:46 +0000

At midnight Central time (10pm PT, 1am ET, 6am BST) voting for the Bleeding Cool Fan Awards close.

The award ceremony will be held two days later at the Phoenix Comic Con, Friday at 6pm, with guest presenters including Frank Cho, Peter David, Ethan Van Sciver, Katie Cook, Christos Gage, Mike McKone, Aaronb Lopresti, Billy Tucci, Jim Valentino and more. I will be your host…

So place your votes now, and make them count!

Bleeding Cool Comic Book, Movies and TV News and Rumors

Easter Eggs, Hints And Mysteries – A Close Look At The First Trailer For Wright And Pegg’s The World’s End

Grace Randolph’s Stacktastic! The Fate Of James Gordon Jr

A Comic Show – Bounce, Sex And Green Lantern

Video: Guillermo Del Toro Introduces One Of Pacific Rim’s Big Sci-Fi Ideas, “The Drift”

Crossing Absolution Rubicon

Countdown to the Eisners – Best Continuing Series

Ben Templesmith’s Cover To Liberator #3

Bleeding Cool Fan Awards 2013 End Voting Tonight!

Best Monthlyish Comic of 2013 So Far

Best Kiddy Comic of 2013 So Far

Best Graphic Novel of 2013 So Far

Best Comics Writer of 2013 So Far

Best Comics Artist of 2013 So Far

Best Comics Publisher of 2013 So Far

Best Digital Comic of 2013 So Far

Most Anticipated Comic Event of 2013

Title Launched Most Likely To Be Cancelled By The End of 2013

Most Impactful Resignation/Firing of The Last 12 Months

Controversy of The Last 12 Months

Best Sex In Comics of The Last 12 Months

Best Feud of The Last 12 Months

Best Violence In Comics of The Last 12 Months

Best Gimmick of The Last 12 Months

Event With The Most Disappointing Ending of The Last 12 Months

Guiltiest Pleasure of The Last 12 Months

Comic Book-Based Film/TV Show of The Last Twelve Months We Could Bear To Recommend To Friends

The Comic Book-Based Film of 2013 We Are Most Hoping Won’t Suck

Publication Most Likely To Need Defending By The CBLDF In The Rest of 2013

Most Fanciable Comics Creator In 2013 So Far

Microsoft Announce Halo TV Series With Some Help From Steven Spielberg

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes At Marvel – From Dexter Soy To Deadpool