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Planet Buzz
Elektra's late, but Birds of Prey are coming...
Comics:
Marvel Ships Elektra #4 Late, Actually Has An Explanation
At the request of writer Brian Michael Bendis, Elektra #4 will ship two weeks later than originally scheduled. The current storyline has Elektra embroiled in intrigue and political assassination in the Middle East. While not necessarily a reflection of current events, Bendis felt that it might be a good idea to put some distance between the storyline and our real intrigue and political assassination attempts in the Middle East.
While I respect and applaud Bendis' request, the Elektra plot can't be as bad as Marvel releasing last week's issue of The Punisher, in which Garth Ennis implicated Dubya as an alcoholic searching for glory by coordinating terrorist attacks himself. Isn't it satire that closes on Saturday night?
MegaCon 2002 Announces Headliner
The ubiquitous Kevin Smith will headline MegaCon 2002, giving a 2 hour presentation on his film and comics work as well as leading an auction to benefit retired comic book artists. It's good to see him throwing his weight around for a good cause.
In addition to Smith, a variety of celebrities from comics, movies, and television will be there, including a roundtable of Golden Age greats that will feature Mart Nodell, creator of the Green Lantern, and Harry Lampert, creator of The Flash. The drawing machine known as George Perez will be there as well, soaking his hand in ice between sketch sessions.
MegaCon 2002 will be at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida on February 22 to 24, 2002. So we'll put out the call now, planeteers: anybody planning on going and want to cover it for us, or would anybody like to make massive purchases from our site so that our budget will allow us to send our crack editorial staff? Or would the kind folks at MegaCon like to fly us out (it never hurts to ask)?
Okay. Enough cheap shilling. Even I'm ashamed.
Movies:
Oddly Enough, In Australia Bana and Banner Are Pronounced Exactly The Same
Variety has confirmed what we printed as rumor a few weeks ago. Director Ang Lee has officially chosen Australian actor Eric Bana to play Bruce Banner in the big-screen adaptation of The Hulk. Little-known to American audiences, this former stand-up recently wowed Australian's with his performance in the title role of Chopper.
The Jade Giant himself will be a CGI based character, and to distance this film from such comic book based movies as Batman and Robin, producers say there will be no nipples on his costume, even though The Hulk doesn't wear a costume and does indeed have nipples. Also, he will not be driving the Hulkmobile.
I've Got Your Golden Ticket Right Here
Coming Attractions confirms that Rob Minkoff (The Lion King, Stuart Little) has landed the plum (or extremely dangerous) job of directing the remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
No word yet on casting, although the alleged plan is to do a darker take on the story than the beloved 1971 musical. Both Nicolas Cage and Marilyn Manson have expressed interest, but really, that's just the stuff of nightmares.
Oh, How Raimi Doth Taunt Us
Variety reports that Sam Raimi has quietly begun laying the groundwork for Spider-Man 2. Both Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst have been contracted for two sequels, so that's one less thing to worry about.
Frankly, between this report and the news that Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets will begin filming in November, I find it very disturbing that Hollywood actually seems to be on the ball and doing their best to deliver exactly what fans want.
Not in my America, people. What's that? They still want Sandra Bullock as Wonder Woman? Phew. Screw-ups still rule!
Television:
Just In Time For The Family Hour…
Evidently Standards and Practices have relaxed yet again. Last week allowed American audiences to add a word that rhymes with Dolores to the list of words that will be beaten to death on sitcoms and er this season.
Last Thursday's Will & Grace slipped it by, and yet nary a sound was heard. Of course, some of us are used to that, but Fanboy Planet's Sidney Long promises to fix that.
Birds Flocking To The WB
The WB has ordered Tollin/Robbins Productions (the team behind Smallville) to whip up a pilot for DC's Birds Of Prey. The comic book series features the adventures of Barbara Gordon (former Batgirl, now Oracle) and Dinah Lance (Black Canary) as they trot the globe fighting crime. According to a press release, the WB describes it as having "…three female crime fighters."
Since the comic has also utilized Catwoman, The Huntress, and Power Girl, it's possible that one of those three will be appearing on a regular basis. (But if the collective willpower of fans can count for anything, we should concentrate on Phantom Lady - that's the costume we'd most like to see on film.)
In truth, having seen Smallville (debuting tonight at 9 p.m. on the WB), I'll go out on a limb and say that Birds Of Prey couldn't be in safer hands. (And after having watched an episode of Mutant X, not from Tollin/Robbins, I'll say it again.)
Fox Wants Time
After a tussle among networks, the Fox Network has landed the rights to a re-make of the classic (?) television series Time Tunnel. The original Irwin Allen show starred James Darren as one of two young scientists who got lost in history due to their experimental device, the Time Tunnel.
Despite it having no historical basis, the two eventually fended off a couple of alien invasions. It's pure cheese, and it's coming back. See? Who said it wouldn't be business as usual in Hollywood anymore?
Toys:
Yeah, yeah, it's a new topic. We're not necessarily going to make a habit of covering toys, though we (and a lot of you) buy them occasionally. But a couple of things have come up this week too good to pass up.
Hasbro Has The POX
It's sort of like Tamagotchi: you train little LCD warriors and then fight against your friends (assuming you have any if you're a grown man with the time to train little LCD warriors). The idea isn't necessarily new, but Hasbro has launched a pretty big media blitz with high child awareness.
My problem is, doesn't anybody at Hasbro realize that pox are diseases? Chicken Pox, Smallpox, and, in its popular guise as a venereal disease in historical novels, the pox?
That hasn't stopped Hasbro from announcing new Transformers for 2002: The Syphiloids and Gonnorheactors.
The Heartbreak Of Being Aquaman
Yes, the King of the Seas has a movie in pre-pre-pre-production, a comic book revival completely unavoidable on the horizon, and a PC game in development from TDK Interactive. But does that mean he gets respect? Nope. Not a whit, if Seth Green has anything to say about it.
Seth, no stranger to action figures himself, having been immortalized in plastic twice, has launched a short film series on the web at Sony's Screenblast site. This month, he unleashes Sweet J Presents: The Real World Metropolis. Animating old Mego figures, Seth and his cohorts unveil the sordid truth about many of your favorite superheroes.
Check it out here. No, we mean it. YOU MUST.
