Comic-Con 2007 Insider's Guide
COMIC-CON 2007 INSIDER’S GUIDE
Interviews, features and reviews about titles being promoted at Comic-Con 2007
300: The art of war
We tracked down 300 director Zack Snyder a few weeks back as he was scouting locations for the upcoming Watchmen and got him on the phone to speak about the DVD of 300. Read full story.
Torchwood: Sex and sci-fi
“We’re very cheeky about the sex and romance that we show on Torchwood,” says the show’s executive producer, Julie Gardner, who is also head of drama commissioning at BBC Wales. The first season will hit BBC America on Sept. 8 and DVD in the first quarter of next year. Read full story.
Teenage Mutant Highlander Eastman
Along with an immortal Scotsman and a quartet of anthropomorphic reptiles, comic book artist and producer Kevin Eastman is standing tall this summer as two projects with which he is intimately involved—Highlander: The Search for Vengeance and TMNT (otherwise known as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)—are making their DVD debuts. Read full story.
Craven has Eyes for a franchise
VB spoke with legendary horror filmmaker Wes Craven about his latest chiller, The Hills Have Eyes 2, which was released on DVD last week. Read full story.
Flash Gordon gets new paint job
Flash Gordon has influenced renowned comic painter Alex Ross’ work for more than a quarter-century. Now Ross is exerting his influence on Flash, having designed the DVD box art for Universal’s Aug. 7 release of Flash Gordon: Saviour of the Universe Edition. Read full story.
Ridley Scott’s secret influence: Snow White
Warner’s planned December launch of the 25th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition of Blade Runner carries five—five!—cuts of the sci-fi classic, including the new “Final Cut,” which director Ridley Scott himself admits is not much different from the rest. Read full story.
Story of Strange on new DVD
Doctor Strange, which Lionsgate will issue on Aug. 14, recounts the character’s origin and finds him facing off for the first time against the Dread Dormammu. Read full story.
Surfer DVD’s all in the family
Lifelong Fantastic Four fans and newbies alike will be drawn in by the supplements being prepared for the DVD release of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, according to Jon Mefford, the producer of the package. Read full story.
Harryhausen returns—in color
On the occasion of the release of a 50th Anniversary DVD Edition of the 1957 sci-fi flick 20 Million Miles to Earth, VB spoke to special effects legend Ray Harryhausen, the movie magician behind the rendering of the film’s remarkable stop-motion monster, the Ymir, who crashes down on Earth from Venus and wreaks some serious havoc in The Eternal City, Rome. Read full story.
McFarlane: Architect of the anti-hero
For 15 years, Todd McFarlane has been building Spawn. Now the writer/artist has a pretty tall “skyscraper.” Read full story.
Superman gets his (Dooms)day on DVD
It was “the most brilliant stunt ever pulled in comics,” the three-year “Death of Superman” story line that found the Man of Steel being demolished by the alien monster Doomsday, replaced for a time by four new Supermen and then making a triumphant (and inevitable) return. This story is told in streamlined fashion in the new DVD premiere feature Superman: Doomsday. Read full story.
REVIEWS
Renaissance
Miramax/Disney
High-tech sci-fi noir’s dazzling visuals trump an uneven story line. Read full review.
Yo-Yo Girl Cop
Magnolia
Household items-turned-weapons and sexy young Asian women highlight this colorful international action flick. Read full review.
Doctor Strange
Lionsgate
A franchise for Marvel Comics’ “Sorcerer Supreme” is launched in this handsomely animated origin story. Read full review.
Air Guitar Nation
Docurama/New Video
Fun-filled survey of air guitar competition strikes the right chords. Read the full review.
Pathfinder
Fox
Rugged period actioner for the crowd that roared at 300. Read the full review.