News

Man Criticizes Google, "Progressive" Think Tank Funded by Google Fires Him...

Fan-favorite writer Matt Hawkins (Think Tank, The Tithe) and artist Atilio Rojo team up for an all-new, action-packed thriller from Top Cow/Image Comics in Samaritan – set to launch this May.

In Samaritan, a woman with a vendetta decides she’s going to take down the largest military contractor in the world and has the means and a plan that just might work. How do you bankrupt one of the richest, most technologically advanced and successful companies in the world? You steal all their research and give it away to everyone. Can she survive long enough to pull it off with the entire Us government trying to kill her?

Samaritan #1 hits stores on Wednesday, May 24th.

Samaritan #1

Story: Matt Hawkins

Art / Lettering / Cover: Atilio Rojo

Published: May 24, 2017...

Coproduction markets are playing a key role in launching and positioning film projects in every stage of development. Are the films coming out of these coproduction markets flooding the market with uncommercial product which cannot find a release platform?Bero Beyer, Director of Iffr addressing CoPro Market issues

In order to address the constant changes in the industry and to redesign the format to a more efficient one for film professionals, CineLink, in collaboration with CineMart, the Holland Film Meeting and Cannes Marche du Film/ Next Pavilion launched the Think Tank initiative. CineMart hosted the third edition of Think Tank, a broad panel of invited key market players and professionals exchanging ideas, practices and reporting on current developments and future steps towards enhanced models and formats of the coproduction markets worldwide.

Coproduction Market Summit

It began with an alarm. There are too many projects out there and too many coproduction markets.

Since January has given us an extra week, we decided to do a special Kickstarter episode! Sometimes there are amazing comic book creators who’s fantastic ideas could use a bit of help from fans in order to get us a finished book. We are featuring two great writers who are starting Kickstarter campaigns to promote their titles. From the LRMOnline family we have Kat Kalamia and Omar Morales writer for “Cruzader: Agent of the Vatican” and Guinness World Record holder for the largest comic book published. Kat is promoting her title “Life Father, Like Daughter” and Omar talks about the “Not Forgotten” anthology he is working on. We then venture into our Top 5 independent comics and finish off with the books for the week!

9 Panel Grid

Episode 11

Like Father, Like Daughter & Not Forgotten Kickstarter

Like Father, Like Daughter - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shortfusemedia/like-father-like-daughter-1-comic-book

What’s...

Even filmmaker Stephen Gaghan will admit it’s been far too long since he’s had a movie in theaters with the Oscar-nominated political thriller Syriana. It got him his second Oscar nomination after winning an Oscar for writing Stephen Soderbergh’s Oscar-winning Traffic a few years earlier.

He’s finally back with Gold, a movie loosely based on the real-life Bre-x gold scandal with Matthew McConaughey playing Kenny Wells, a man struggling to keep his father’s mining business alive after his passing. A vision of there being gold in Indonesia, puts him in contact with geologist Michael Acosta (Edgar Ramirez) who believes that he can help Wells find that gold. After a trying start where Kenny almost succumbs to malaria, Acosta finds evidence of gold, which gets many investing in their company, but as with the Bre-x scandal, things weren’t what they seemed.

Unlike Syriana and Traffic,...

Happy New Year to everyone! We kick off the New Year with “Recommended Reading” where Jace and Manny spotlight DC Universe Rebirth Special #1 & “Darkseid War” which takes place in issue #40-#50 of New 52 Justice League as well as some one shots. For our Top 5 we take a look at what comics we are looking forward to in 2017 and we wrap it up with the books for the week.

9 Panel Grid

Episode 7

Recommended Reading

Jace

DC Universe Rebirth #1

Manny

Justice League: Darkseid War

Top 5 Books/Storylines We Are Looking Forward to in 2017

Jace

Geoff Johns return to writing comics Watchmen/Rebirth

Wrap up of Letter 44

AfterShock (Jack Pot, Replica, Super Zero)

Think Tank Animals

The Hulk (Jennifer Walters/She Hulk)

Manny

1 Geoff Johns Rebirth/Watchmen

2 Ivx

3 Top Cow (Eclipse, Dante, Think Tank, Postal, The Tithe)

4 Letter 44

5 Wonder Woman (Book and Movie)

Upcoming Books for January 4th Emmanuel Gomez Comic Uno's Weekly Roundup Episode 17 https://t.

Rae Sremmurd threw a superhero-themed bash for Slim Jxmmi's birthday, and it makes you wonder why Batman and Superman spend so much time fighting crime. Several big names showed up at Think Tank Art Gallery in L.A. for the celebration -- Keke Palmer, Skrillex, Bella Thorne, Diplo, Mara Teigen, Ty Dolla $ign -- and there was no shortage of fun for them to have. Arcade games, video games, ping pong, a photo booth, a taco stand,...

Yesterday we covered our teams picks for DC Comics and Marvel Comics. Today we venture out into the vast world of independent comics, which pretty much covers the rest of the comic book industry. What makes this interesting is that a lot of these independent books are creator’s “passion projects” just take a moment and look at all the amazing books that Image as well as Aftershock comics are putting out month to month. Comic books like this usually are amazing due to the fact that you can see how much the creative teams enjoy working on the book. Here are some of our favorites for 2016:

Favorite Independent Comics Books:

Replica

Publisher: Aftershock Comics

Written by Paul Jenkins

Artwork by Andy Clarke

Picked by:

Jace Milam - This title from new publisher AfterShock can be summed up in one word; Fun! Springing from the mind of writer Paul Jenkins and artist Andy Clarke,...

Join us this week as Jace and Manny go through the Diamond Preview’s book for comics coming out in February. Also in our Top 5 segment we take a moment to give our top 5 books or story arcs that we would recommend for new readers. Take some time to listen in and give us some feedback on books your excited about and maybe some of your recommendations!

Previews #339

Upcoming Books for 12-21

Top 5 books or runs for a beginning comic reader

Jace

Crisis on Infinite Earths

Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars

Ultimate Spider-Man 1-50/Amazing Spider-Man 1-75

Uncanny X-Men 94-150

John Byrne Superman Man of Steel #1-6, Superman #1-33, Adventures of Superman #424-444, Action Comics #585-600, 643

Manny

1. Blackest Night

2. New 52 Justice League

3. Valiant’s Bloodshot Trilogy

4. Think Tank (Top Cow Productions Inc.)

5. Archer & Armstrong or Harley Quinn Emmanuel Gomez Previews #339 9 Panel Grid Podcast: Episode 5 https://t.co/Mzv0tSd8AR...

The latest cinematic shared universe, which will consist of the classic monsters of film from Universal Studios movie library, is moving ahead. They’ve gathered a team of writers—some veteran, some fairly new—to act as the Think Tank who will oversee the rebooted Cinematic Monster Universe.

Writers Assemble! Chris Morgan (The Fast & the Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, Furious 7), Alex Kurtzman (The Legend of Zorro, Mission Impossible 3, Transformers, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Star Trek, Cowboys & Aliens, Amazing Spider-Man) Noah Hawley (Producer/Writer of the television series’ Bones and Fargo), Aaron Guzikowski (Prisoners) and Ed Solomon (Charlie’s Angels, Men in Black and Now You See Me) have joined their creative forces to act as a writer’s collective for Universal Studios' cinematic monster universe.

This group, who will be known as the "Monster Men" will cooperate in each other's movies. They will offer suggestions...

Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday morning. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post.)

This week’s question:

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” just enjoyed $75 million opening weekend, and has been announced as the first installment of a five-part series. How would you like to see these movies continue to expand the Harry Potter universe?

Tasha Robinson (@tasharobinson), The Verge

Mostly, I want to see the series continue to grow up, and I don’t expect that it will, because the tension between making the series more mature and keeping it accessible for kid viewers is probably going to keep us in this weird in-between space, where even adult characters operating in a politically complicated world have to...

Like Evelyn, the soundtrack for The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave (1981) has risen to visit the Earth once more courtesy of Mondo and Death Waltz Recording Company. Also in today's Highlights: three new clips from Fear Inc., details on the one-shot comic, Dante, and a look at the Don't Knock Twice demo Trailer.

Mondo and Death Waltz Recording's The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave Vinyl Soundtrack: From Mondo: "Death Waltz Recording Company is proud to exhume another classic soundtrack from the world of horror cinema with Bruno Nicolai's incredible score to the 1981 Emilio Miraglia Giallo The Night Evelyn Came Out Of The Grave (aka La Notte Che Evelyn Usci Dalla Tomba). The film is as mad as its title; Evelyn is dead before it starts and her previously institutionalized husband Alan, who has begun to murder strippers as a form of therapy, is duped by...

Film Congress Marketplace to take place in Los Angeles, USA | Berlin, Germany | Lagos, Nigeria | Teheran, Iran | Cannes, France

Ocean, Life, Water: The 9th Green Me Global Festival for Sustainability is rolling out the red green carpet in Los Angeles, CA October 17th to 23 at the Landmark Regent Theater in Westwood.

An expert jury under the patronage of Ralf Möller will award the greenest movies around the topic Ocean/Life/Water.- More than 20 Films will be screened, 10 green presentations, 5 panel discussions, a Film Workshop for Film Schools and an Award Gala will shine in a green light.

An impressive number of films have been submitted for the Green Me Award 2016.

Under the patronage of Dr. Auma Obama, President Barack Obama’s half-sister, and in cooperation with the actor Ralf Möller, a selected expert jury will award the greenest movies 2016.

The question of how we, humanity, will survive the coming years...

In a competitive situation, Hulu has landed Postal, a TV series adaptation of the Top Cow comics, from Matt Tolmach Productions and Legendary TV. The project, now in development, is being written by The Walking Dead co-executive producer Seth Hoffman. Based on the Postal comic series by Matt Hawkins (Think Tank) and Bryan Hill (Broken Trinity: Pandora’s Box), it centers on Eden, a unique town populated and run by fugitive criminals. In Eden, everyone has a secret past…...

Audience Development & Innovation Lab, Think Tank on the future of co-production markets take place in Sarajevo

Sarajevo Film Festival’s Industry Days this year introduced a workshop called Audience Development & Innovation Lab, in the frame of the Avant Premieres programme, intended to to strengthen the network of regional cinemas and to provide a platform where they can share strengths, weaknesses and examples of best practice.

“Because of dominance of Hollywood, for all the independent and regional films, a special promotion is necessary,” Tina Hajon, the Avant Premieres co-ordinator, told Screendaily.

“The classic way of distribution and promotion is obsolete, and for every release a tailor-made promotion should be devised. This workshop will provide our exhibitors with real tools for keeping their present audiences and getting new ones, and for promoting their activities and independent films in the best way possible,” Hajon concluded.

Organised in co-operation with Europa Cinemas, the workshop was led by Duncan Carson from London...

Preview: Head of industry Jovan Marjanovic talks about bringing together all its activity under one umbrella.

Sarajevo’s industry section has developed from a small co-production market into the largest industry event in South-East Europe.

Growing in size and scope, and broadening its geographic reach to the Middle East, North Africa and Caucasus countries, it is now a major hub covering all segments of the industry, and regularly introduces new sections.

Sarajevo’s head of industry Jovan Marjanovic says it is now time to integrate all these segments into one whole.

“We have for a long time offered activities for all spheres of the business, and for young and established professionals, but this year we have really made an effort to integrate them all under the umbrella of CineLink Industry Days,” explains Marjanovic.

“In doing so, we are responding to industry needs and how we see the world of film is developing - with traditional borders being blurred...

Preview: Head of industry Jovan Marjanovic talks about bringing together all its activity under one umbrella.

Sarajevo’s industry section has developed from a small co-production market into the largest industry event in South-East Europe.

Growing in size and scope, and broadening its geographic reach to the Middle East, North Africa and Caucasus countries, it is now a major hub covering all segments of the industry, and regularly introduces new sections.

Sarajevo’s head of industry Jovan Marjanovic says it is now time to integrate all these segments into one whole.

“We have for a long time offered activities for all spheres of the business, and for young and established professionals, but this year we have really made an effort to integrate them all under the umbrella of CineLink Industry Days,” explains Marjanovic.

“In doing so, we are responding to industry needs and how we see the world of film is developing - with traditional borders being blurred...

The last issue of Postal that we received before this one finished very strong leaving us the thought that Mark can possibly be just as bad if not more dangerous than his mother and father. The way he handled the situation with Molly Schultz proved this point. With so many things happening in and around Eden that are putting the town’s safety and secrecy in jeopardy daily Laura is going to need all the help she can get. As readers we know what’s coming and that is a crossover between Postal, The Tithe, and Think Tank, which are all amazing books on their own. What will happen when you put all these great characters in the same story? I personally cannot wait to get my hands on that crossover! But before that we have issue 13 of Postal, which may be the best single issue of this book to date.

“Danger: Reading this book will make you smarter”

This is the tag line above the title that you may have or may have not noticed. This book Will in fact make you smarter as it not only delivers a good story but an additional section in the back called “Science Class”, where Matt Hawkins talks about some of the ideas in the book and gives us some links to follow for further insight. The frightening or amazing (depending on your perspective) aspect about this section is that you come to the realization that the ideas or projects mentioned here are real. In my experience there has been no other group of titles (including The Tithe, Wildfire) that spark interesting conversations with people whether they read comics or not. Some comics you can absorb them quickly, like a Caprisun pouch drink, making you feel like you wasted your money. That is not the case here,...

Activision

It’s impossible for even the best of bands to produce their greatest material every time they enter the studio.

There’s nothing worse than eagerly anticipating the next release from your favourite artist only to discover that it is littered with disappointment. Maybe our expectations are set a little too high, but that being said, it’s no excuse for some of the atrocities that our favourite bands have churned out over the years.

You know the ones, the tracks where you’ll be left questioning where the last few minutes of your life have disappeared to. Where it feels like another band entirely have borrowed their name and churned out something abysmal under the radar.

From The Beatles to The Cure it seems that nobody is safe from having the odd slip-up along the way. By that I mean slipping and burning and crashing… badly. Perhaps it...

“I know who my enemy is.”

That hole in the lobby of Venture Tower is really racking up a body count. Assuming Battle-Ax and Think Tank (voiced by the incomparable Jeffrey Wright of Boardwalk Empire fame) both bought it in that crash, that’s three shots, three kills for Chekov’s unusually enormous gun. It’s an accretion leading directly toward a clear endgame pitting Dr. Mrs. The Monarch, her husband and his midlife crisis, and an unwitting Dr. Venture against each other. As serialized, self-contained plots go it’s pretty serviceable, especially considering how much work has been pumped into fleshing out the Monarch family dynamic. Rusty seems to be more a plot device than a character in this situation, his mistaken identity a way to draw out the conflict between husband and wife.

Brock getting, well, Brock’d by Warriana is a good table-turn. His rapturous “I Loved...

Sorry for the delay as I have been traveling for the past week and it was difficult to get a moment to write up this article. Today's releases may not seem like much but their are some quality books to check out. Here is a list of some of the books I will be picking up today at my local comic book store.

Star Wars (2015) #16

Writer: Jason Aaron

Penciller: Leinil Francis Yu

“Rebel Jail” Starts Now! The Rebels travel to a prison base having taken an important captive in Vader Down. Unfortunately, they aren’t the only ones with their eyes on the prisoners. The adventures of Luke Skywalker and the Rebel Alliance continue!

Doctor Fate #9

Art by: Sonny Liew

Cover by: Sonny Liew

Written by: Paul Levitz

Khalid’s quest for answers leads the young Doctor Fate to his ancestral homeland of Egypt, where he discovers that malevolent supernatural...

The Young Turks (Tyt) has produced a daily live stream show for the last ten years. To celebrate, the millennial-focused political news network and YouTube channel is live streaming for ten hours on December 11, 2015.

The Young Turks’ celebratory ten-hour broadcast will air live from the network’s new Culver City studio on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Periscope, Firetalk, and Meerkat. The first hour of the broadcast, which started at 9 Am Pst, was led by Tyt Founder Cenk Uyger and co-host Ana Kasparian. The live stream will then host four hours of The Young Turks flagship show, followed by segments from other shows like ThinkTank, PopTrigger, Tyt Sports, and NerdAlert. The ten-hour live stream will also feature interviews with long-time Tyt members. Live stream guests will include Tyt co-hosts Ben Mankiewicz and John Iadarola, Think Tank co-host Hannah Cranston, PopTrigger co-host Samantha Schacher, and comedian Jimmy Dore.

In addition to...

Nearly 50 Latin American producers, financiers and commissioners to attend.

Power to the Pixel has announced the delegation of 48 producers, financiers and commissioners set to attend Power to the Pixel: The Cross-Media Forum (Oct 13-16) - held as part of the 59th BFI London Film Festival (Oct 7-18)

Leading the Latin American delegation are funds Incaa (Mexico), Imcine (Mexico) and RioFilme (Brazil).

Each fund brings with them a group of production companies, executives and media experts will participate in the Conference (Oct 13), Pixel Market Finance Forum (Oct 14), Pixel Market Meetings (Oct 15) and the annual Think Tank (Oct 16).

Other partners of the delegation are Abpitv, the Brazilian TV Producers Association, leading Latin American entertainment lawyer, Cesnik Quntino & Salinas and Brazilian co-production specialist, Filmcup Institute.

The British Council have also supported the attendance of 16 producers and company representatives working in cross-platform and interactive media innovation from across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela...

Fresh off releasing The Magic Whip, Blur's first new album since 2003, the band also dropped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Thursday to make their first late-night U.S. television appearance in 12 years. On the program, Damon Albarn and the reunited rockers debuted The Magic Whip's penultimate sing-along "Ong Ong," complete with a keyboardist, an extra drummer and an ensemble of backing singers.

Although host Jimmy Fallon touted Blur's performance as their first U.S. late show appearance in 15 years, the band actually played on both Late Show With David Letterman...

We don't know what's come over Damon Albarn, but we love it. Following the recent news of another Gorillaz album in the works, Blur (yes, Blur!) have just announced a new album to be released April 27 — their first in 12 years. Called The Magic Whip, it'll serve as the follow-up to 2003's Think Tank, and Albarn says it was recorded in Hong Kong in just five days. Here's the lyric video for the album's first single, "Go Out," which fans of Asian-style ice cream should definitely appreciate.

The 17th Montreal International Documentary Festival runs Nov 12-23 and opens with the world premiere of Kim Nguyen’s Le Nez [pictured].

The full programme for the 17th annual Montreal International Documentary Festival (Ridm) has been unveiled.

This year’s festival will feature 141 films from 44 countries, including 21 world premieres, 19 North American premieres and 21 Canadian premieres.

The festival opens with the world premiere of Quebec filmmaker Kim Nguyen’s Le Nez, a journey through the mysterious world of the sense of smell. Nguyen’s War Witch was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars in 2013.

Nicolas Wadimoff’s Spartiates also receives its world premiere as the festival’s closing film. The Swiss filmmaker travels to the outskirts of Marseille, where a mixed martial arts instructor is struggling to keep his school open.

Eleven awards will be presented to the winning films in the Ridm’s four competitive sections: Official Competition, Canadian Feature...

Keep the faith, Gorillaz aficionados: a new album may be coming your way in the not-too-distant future. In a new interview with the Sydney Morning Herald (via Consequence of Sound), Damon Albarn - the co-creator of the virtual band alongside Jamie Hewlett - claims to be "reactivating" the group for a 2016 release: A serial collaborator who has released a dozen albums since Blur's last album, "Think Tank," in 2003, Albarn is currently writing a West End theatre musical adaptation of a children's book, is in the process of reactivating Gorillaz for a 2016 release and is trying to find time to record a new The Good, the Bad & The Queen album, which he says is fully written. Though the article contains no direct quotes from Albarn relating to the prospective Gorillaz revival - if an album comes to fruition it will be the group's first since 2011's "The Fall" - he is...

White paper unveiled at Power to the Pixel sets out six challenges facing funds in the digital age.

Funds need to re-think how they operate if they want to remain relevant in the digital age, according to a white paper unveiled at Power to the Pixel’s Cross-Media Forum.

The study, entitled “Understanding Funders”, is a joint venture between the Canada Media Fund (Cmf), Quebecois cultural agency Sodec and Power to the Pixel.

“The digital technology boom has unbalanced international content production and distribution markets and has also upset our industries’ economics,” said Cmf CEO and president Valerie Creighton, who spearheaded the study alongside Sodec chief Monique Simard and Power to the Pixel CEO Liz Rosenthal.

The paper, she said, grew out of a discussion between Simard and Rosenthal at Mipcom last year over how funds like Sodec and the Cmf, and their counterparts around the world, could stay relevant in “an ever-growing, ever-changing content...

Andrew argues that Doctor Who series 8 could do worse than look to Hinchcliffe/Holmes story The Ark in Space for inspiration...

4C or not 4C? (Yes, it's a cryptic start, but frankly we don't have enough production code puns on the website). Let us speculate, just for a change, about what series eight of Doctor Who holds in store.

Is Peter Capaldi's Twelth Doctor going to be a less risky version of the Sixth? Initially unlikeable, but with the audience warming to him as he progresses?

Is Clara going to become a more rounded character, with the writers raising their game to reflect the quality of Jenna Coleman's performance?

Will you read a comment along the lines of 'Actually there were twenty six seasons of Doctor Who already, so I don't see why you're referring to it as “series eight”'?

Maybe, maybe, and yes.

For those of...

Think Tank: Fun with Ptsd #1

Written by Matt Hawkins

Art by Rahsan Ekedal

Published by Top Cow Productions

Despite the title, Think Tank does not take Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder lightly

At the end of Think Tank: Fun with Ptsd, writer Matt Hawkins takes a moment to discuss the subject of this one-shot, post-traumatic stress disorder. From the outset he explains, “Despite the title, I am Not making fun of Ptsd. I think if you read the story first you’ll know that, but I just want to make that extra clear. I consider it an important problem of our time, and something that will hopefully be fixable with our advances in brain research, nanotechnology, and neurochemistry.” This is followed by an in-depth discourse on what Ptsd is, how it can be treated, and the myths and misconceptions surrounding the disorder. Again, all of this comes after the main...

The following is a list of all comic books, graphic novels and specialty items that will be available this week and shipped to comic book stores who have placed orders for them.

Abrams

Kyle Baker’s Nat Turner Sc (New Printing), $17.95

Star Wars Storyboards The Original Trilogy Hc, $40.00

Action Lab Entertainment

Princeless Short Stories Volume 1 Tp, $11.99

Alterna Comics

Fubar Better Red Than Dead (One Shot), $3.99

Amryl Entertainment

Cavewoman Karnival (One Shot)(Devon Massey Regular Cover), $3.75

Cavewoman Karnival (One Shot)(Budd Root Special Edition Cover), Ar

Antarctic Press

Zombie Fairy Tales Deadlands (One Shot), $3.99

Arcana Studio

Worth Hc, $24.95

Archie Comic Publications

Afterlife With Archie #5 (Andrew Pepoy Variant Cover), $2.99

Afterlife With Archie #5 (Francesco Francavilla Regular Cover), $2.99

Archie #655 (Fernando Ruiz Cosmo Merry Martian Variant Cover), $2.99

Archie #655 (Fernando Ruiz Regular Cover), $2.99

Archie 1000 Page Comics Bonanza Tp, $14.99

Kevin Keller #13 (Dan Parent Regular Cover), $2.99

Kevin Keller #13 (Ryan Jampole Chibi Variant Cover), $2.99

Life With Archie #35 (Chad Thomas...

The following is a list of all comic books, graphic novels and specialty items that will be available this week and shipped to comic book stores who have placed orders for them.

Abrams

Adventure Time A Totally Math Poster Collection Sc, $19.95

Abstract Studios

Rachel Rising #24 (not verified by Diamond), $3.99

Antarctic Press

Gold Digger Gold Brick III Reminted Edition Tp (not verified by Diamond), $50.00

Ninja High School #176, $3.99

Archie Comic Publications

Best Of Archie Comics Betty And Veronica Volume 1 Tp (not verified by Diamond), $9.99

Aspen Comics

Bubblegun #5 (Of 5)(Cover A Mike Bowden), $3.99

Bubblegun #5 (Of 5)(Cover B Mirka Andolfo), $3.99

Avatar Press

Crossed Badlands #50 (Christian Zanier Red Crossed Incentive Cover), Ar

Crossed Badlands #50 (Christian Zanier Regular Cover), $3.99

Crossed Badlands #50 (Christian Zanier Torture Cover), $3.99

Crossed Badlands #50 (Christian Zanier Wraparound Cover), $3.99

Crossed Badlands #50 (Jacen Burrows Amazons Cover), $3.99

Crossed Badlands #50 (Jacen Burrows Pure Art Incentive Cover), Ar

Crossed Badlands #50 (Jacen Burrows True Romance Cover), $3.99

Crossed Badlands #50 (Matt...

David Cross Graduates from Small Screen Satire, Inviting Hipsters and Libertarians to the Party

David Cross translates sketch comedy prowess into organized chaos, marking his directorial debut with Hits. Measuring small-town idiocy against narcissistic hipster activism, disparate characters are cleverly strung together by collective delusions; much like Cross’ subversive cult series “Mr. Show” was prided on the strangely interconnected nature of its sketches. His assessment of the well-meaning but helpless Generation Y, prefaced by the fatalistic words “based on a true story that hasn’t happened yet”, could easily be read as misanthropy. Cross puppeteers easy-prey caricatures, not simply to bash their offscreen counterparts (mustachioed Brooklynites could realistically be debating the estrogen levels in soy-milk at this very moment), but to critically shame certain cultural absurdities like celebrity-worshiping and Internet image-crafting.

Shot on location for an inimitable aura of economic depression, Hits welcomes us to Liberty, New York; a town...

Azio - The Bogan Spy Agency, Crazy Bastards, I'm With Stupid, Fancy Boy, Food for Peasants and Pet Quarantine..judging by some of the titles and synopses , the ABC TV/Screen Australia Fresh Blood initiative will spawn some weird and wonderful comedies.

A mix of puppetry, animation, parodies, improv and absurdist humour, the 25 projects selected will each receive $10,000 to produce three short-form sketches.

The shows will air on ABC.s iView platform this year. ABC controller Brendan Dahill tells If that some may later screen on ABC2 after they premiere on the catch-up service.

The initiative is designed to unearth the next generation of comedy performers and producers. There were 492 applications, many of such a high calibre that the ABC and Screen Australia decided to commission 25, one more than originally planned.

Here are the recipients: Aunty Donna Mark Samual Bonanno, Adrian Dean, Broden Kelly, Zachary Ruane

Mentored by Tim Minchin,...

Asia was the big winner at the 64th Berlin Film Festival, taking home four Bears, including the Golden Bear for Best Film and Silver Bear for Best Actor (Liao Fan) for Diao Yinan’s Black Coal, Thin Ice (Bai Ri Yan Huo).Click here for full list of winners

Another of the three Chinese titles, Blind Massage, picked up the Silver Bear for Outstanding Achievement, which again went to a cinematographer, Zeng Jian. Last year had seen DoP Aziz Zhambakiyev receive the prize for his camerawork on Harmony Lessons.

At the ceremony on Saturday night, the Silver Bear for Best Actress was presented to Haru Kuroki for her performance in The Little House by veteran Japanese director Yoji Yamada.

There were a further six prizes or special mentions for films from Asia in the decisions of the Generation and independent juries (Fipresci and Netpac).

Black Coal, Thin Ice is the fourth Chinese film to win the Golden...

The following is a list of all comic books, graphic novels and specialty items that will be available this week and shipped to comic book stores who have placed orders for them.

Abstract Studios

Rachel Rising #23, $3.99

Action Lab Entertainment

NFL Rush Zone Super Bowl Special Tp, $5.00

Alterna Comics

Fubar Guts And Glory (One Shot), $3.99

Amryl Entertainment

Cavewoman Deadly Venom (One Shot)(Bud Root Special Edition Cover), Ar

Cavewoman Deadly Venom (One Shot)(Rob Durham Regular Cover), $3.75

Cavewoman Deadly Venom (One Shot)(Rob Durham Special Edition Cover), Ar

Antarctic Press

Gold Digger #207, $3.99

Arcana Studio

7 Holes For Air Gn, $19.95

Steam Engines Of Oz Volume 2 The Geared Leviathan #3, $3.99

Archie Comic Publications

Archie 1000 Page Comics-Palooza Tp, $14.99

Archie’s Funhouse Double Digest #2, $3.99

Sonic The Hedgehog #257 (Lamar Wells Station Square Rescue Variant Cover), $2.99

Sonic The Hedgehog #257 (Rafa Knight Regular Cover), $2.99

Ardden Entertainment

Devil’s Hopyard #1, $3.99

Aspen Comics

All New Soulfire #3 (Cover A Kenneth V. Marion), $3.99

All...

Top Cow Productions CEO and producer Marc Silvestri recently offered updates on their upcoming comic book adaptations The Darkness and Think Tank, which are in various stages of development.

The producer reveals that Len Wiseman is attached to direct The Darkness adaptation, which will also include the Witchblade character.

"We're partnered with Len Wiseman on The Darkness film. It's over at New Regency, which is on the Fox lot. We've gotten one draft of the script and we're working on that right now. It's going to happen. Witchblade is in The Darkness film. Originally she was going to be in there as an easter egg for the fans, who would know: hey, that's Sara Pezzini, that's the Witchblade.' The more we went along with the story, and the great thing is, the studio supports this.

Len loves this, which is great because Len loves The Darkness, and that's what you want on your team.

The following is a list of all comic books, graphic novels and specialty items that will be available this week and shipped to comic book stores who have placed orders for them.

Action Lab Entertainment

Pirate Eye Iron Bars Wretched Tales (One Shot), $2.99

Princeless Encore Edition #1 (Of 4), $1.00

Airship Entertainment

Girl Genius Volume 5 The Clockwork Princess Tp (New Printing), $25.00

Amryl Entertainment

Cavewoman Sea Monsters (One Shot), $3.75

Cavewoman Sea Monsters (One Shot)(Budd Root Special Edition), Ar

Cavewoman Sea Monsters (One Shot)(Special Edition), Ar

Antarctic Press

Steam Wars #3, $3.99

Archaia Entertainment

Hawken Melee #1 (Of 5)(Archaia), $3.99

Moon Lake Volume 2 Hc (Archaia), $24.95

Mouse Guard Legends Of The Guard Volume 2 #4 (Archaia), $3.50

Mouse Guard Legends Of The Guard Volume 2 Hc (Archaia), $19.95

Archie Comic Publications

Archie #650 (Dan Parent Regular Cover), $3.99

Archie #650 (Fiona Staples World Tour Variant Cover), $3.99

Archie Double Digest #246, $3.99

Fox #2 (Dean Haspiel Regular Cover), $2.99

Fox #2 (Paul Pope Get Freaky Variant Cover), $2.99

Sonic The Hedgehog #255 (Ben Bates...

The Power to the Pixel’s annual Cross-Media Forum, showcasing the latest developments in multiplatform production in the digital media world over the past 12 months, unfolded at the BFI’s Southbank this week.

“The forum is our annual centrepiece event,” said Liz Rosenthal, founder and CEO of the digital media consultancy which runs workshops and consults on the art of capturing audiences across platforms throughout the year.

As the three-day event marked its seventh edition, the mood was in part reflective as the likes of Xbox chief design engineer Elan Lee, respected transmedia storyteller Lance Weiler and interactive docs guru Ingrid Kopp, shared some of the lessons they had learned working across multiple platforms in recent years.

Lessons Learned

La-based Lee, who recently re-joined Microsoft as the chief design officer for its Xbox Entertainment Studios after a decade of launching and running a slew of interactive entertainment start-ups, gave a potted history of his successes and failures...

It's a hard life being a genius, at least for David Loren. Things don't get any easier in Issue #10 of Matt Hawkins and Rahsan Ekedal's current run on Think Tank, and that's mostly thanks to the other men in black, the CIA. Catch the 7 page preview of Think Tank #10 down below, and make sure to check out the full issue when it hits stands next Wednesday.

Power to the Pixel’s 7th Cross-Media Forum to also include a new David Cronenberg project inspired by Videodrome and a multimedia travelogue from Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys.

Power to the Pixel has unveiled the line up for its 7th Cross-Media Forum in London, which runs Oct 15-18 in association with the BFI London Film Festival.

Strands at this year’s edition include the Conference (Oct 15), the Pixel Market (Oct 16-17) and the Think Tank (Oct 18).

This year’s keynote speaker is Elan Lee, chief design officer at Xbox Entertainment Studios one of the leading creators of the ‘Alternate Reality Game’ genre producing I Love Bees, Nine Inch Nails: Year Zero and The Dark Knight: Why so Serious?.

His speech is titled ‘My Mother Has No Idea What I Do For A Living - our story-telling journey through Cross-Media, Second Screens, and Interactive Narratives’ and will include “some of the best and worst...

“We have created something incredible,” says Pranav Mistry, Head of Samsung‘s Think Tank Team said at the unveiling today in Berlin. “Welcome to the future.” Sure, that’s grandiose. Still, Samsung’s Galaxy Gear looks intriguing for a first-generation device — introduced ahead of Apple’s expected launch of its iWatch. The Samsung watch has a 1.63-inch touch display, 800MHz custom Cpu, 512 Mb of Ram, a gyroscope and accelerometer and can run 25 hours on a charge. It wirelessly connects to the company’s Galaxy Note 3 smartphone, also introduced today, so you can look like Dick Tracy making phone calls on your wrist. But it also can serve as a pedometer, and manages emails, text messages, calendar events, notifications, music, and photos. It has a 1.9-megapixel camera in the strap and can transmit your shots. Apps are being specially designed for Gear. The smartwatch will be available in 149 countries on September...

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

After putting out a few records, many bands would attempt to reinvent themselves or try something experimental. In the four year gap since their last record, ‘Tonight’, Franz Ferdinand have laughed at the notion as they not only stick to their own successful formula but do so by releasing their most defiantly pop record to date. Everything you would expect is here: the staccato guitars, the art-school lyrics and the streak of humour that runs down the spine of everything they release.

As cheeky and as avant-garde as their hits ‘Do You Want To’ and ‘Take Me Out’, lead single ‘Right Action’ is the sound of a band that has never doubted itself and knows exactly what is required of them on this, their fourth full length release. With the sound of a sleazy dance floor there is a real sense of command on the single...

The following is a list of all comic books, graphic novels and specialty items that will be available this week and shipped to comic book stores who have placed orders for them.

Aazurn Publishing

Envy (One Shot), $2.49

Amigo Comics

Arcane Secrets #1 (Of 3), $3.99

Antarctic Press

Gold Digger Gina Vs Penny (One Shot), $3.99

Last Zombie The End #4 (Of 5), $3.99

Last Zombie Volume 4 Before The After Tp, $14.95

Arcana Studio

Butcher Street Gn, $19.95

Archie Comics

Sabrina The Teenage Witch The Magic Within Volume 3 Tp, $10.99

Aspen Comics

All New Fathom #2 (Of 8)(Cover A Direct Market), $3.99

All New Fathom #2 (Of 8)(Cover B Aspen Reserved), $3.99

All New Fathom #2 (Of 8)(Cover C J. Scott Campbell Sketch), Ar

Executive Assistant Assassins #14 (Cover A Lori Hanson), $3.99

Executive Assistant Assassins #14 (Cover B Elizabeth Torque), $3.99

Executive Assistant Assassins #14 (Cover C Pasquale Qualano), Ar

Overtaken #1 (Of 5)(Cover B Aspen Reserved), $1.00

Overtaken #1 (Of 5)(Cover A Direct Market), $1.00

Avatar Press

Crossed Annual 2013 #1 (Matt Martin Cheerful Cover...

Sherman & Pacifico: http://studios.amazon.com/projects/26327

Think Tank: http://studios.amazon.com/projects/24726

Yellow Sky: http://studios.amazon.com/projects/25040

Dear Roommate: http://studios.amazon.com/projects/24745

Alluvion: http://studios.amazon.com/projects/25539

Blockworld: http://studios.amazon.com/projects/25354

Amazon Studios has unveiled its first round of Notable videos: Sherman & Pacifico, Alluvion, Blockworld, Yellow Sky, Think Tank, and Dear Roommate.

Watch them all here.

The following is a list of all comic books, graphic novels and specialty items that will be available this week and shipped to comic book stores who have placed orders for them.

Abrams

Adventure Time Encyclopedia Hc (not verified by Diamond), $19.95

Action Lab Entertainment

Princeless Volume 2 Get Over Yourself Tp, $14.95

Alterna Comics

Kill All Monsters Volume 1 Ruins Of Paris Sc, $11.99

Amaze Ink (Slave Labor Graphics)

Eldritch Volume 1 Tp, $17.95

Amigo Comics

Rogues #3, $3.99

Amp! Comics For Kids

Cul De Sac Mighty Alice Goes Round And Round Tp (not verified by Diamond), $9.99

Pearls Before Swine Beginning Pearls Tp (not verified by Diamond), $9.99

Applause Publishing

Star Trek Faq 2.0 Everything To Know About The Next Generation The Movies And Beyond Sc, $22.99

Archaia Entertainment

Gunnerkrigg Court Volume 4 Materia Hc, $26.95

Jim Henson’s The Storyteller Gn, $14.95

Killer Omnibus Volume 1 Tp, $24.95

Killer Volume 4 Unfair Competition Hc, $19.95

Archie Comic Publications

Betty And Veronica Friends Double Digest #235, $3.99

Sonic Universe #54 (Patrick...

There's always one day during the Sdcc when you just shake your head, laugh, and say, "This schedule is ridiculous." Saturday, July 20th, is shaping up to be that day this year.

Horror fans will have a lot of choices to make as the "Bates Motel" panel battles the one-two punch of Godzilla and Seventh Son. Later in the day you'll be faced with choosing to learn more about "True Blood," Telltale's The Walking Dead video game, or "Being Human." Right now 20th Century Fox's presentation that runs at the same time remains "To Be Announced," but once details are revealed, we'll provide an update.

Other panels vying for your attention throughout the day are "The Originals," "Grimm," I, Frankenstein teamed with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (that combination should make for some interesting audience reactions), a look at gameplay from Dead Rising 3 on the Xbox One, more games, comics,...

The following is a list of all comic books, graphic novels and specialty items that will be available this week and shipped to comic book stores who have placed orders for them.

Alternative Comics

Alternative Comics #4, $5.99

Altus Press

Doc Savage The New Adventures Volume 5 Skull Island Sc (not verified by Diamond), $24.95

Antarctic Press

Crawling Sky #4 (Of 5), $3.99

Archaia Entertainment

Mouse Guard Legends Of The Guard Volume 2 #1, $3.50

Archie Comic Publications

Archie Comics Spectacular School Daze Tp, $5.99

Betty And Veronica Double Digest #213, $3.99

Aspen Comics

Executive Assistant Assassins #12 (Cover A Lori Hanson), $3.99

Executive Assistant Assassins #12 (Cover B Vincenzo Cucca), $3.99

Executive Assistant Assassins #12 (Cover C Pasquale Qualano), Ar

Fathom The Elite Saga #2 (Cover A Ken Marion), $3.99

Fathom The Elite Saga #2 (Cover B Talent Caldwell), $3.99

Fathom The Elite Saga #2 (Cover C Michael Turner), Ar

Jirni #3 (Of 5)(Eric Basaldua Aspen Reserved Cover), $3.99

Jirni #3 (Of 5)(Pasquale Qualano Direct Market Cover), $3.99

Jirni #3 (Of 5)(Eric Basaldua Variant Cover), Ar

Atheneum Books

Zebrafish Spf 40 Tp,...

Grants Pass, Ore. -- The psychiatrist who opened the Oregon State Hospital's doors to filming of the 1975 Academy Award-winning movie "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" has died.

Dr. Dean Brooks died May 30 at a retirement home in Salem at age 96, family members said. He had been in declining health for several weeks after a fall.

Brooks' daughter Dennie Brooks said Friday the film's producers were turned down by all the other mental hospitals they approached. But her father, who was the Salem hospital's superintendent, saw the value of the movie in starting a national discussion about mental health and the responsibility of institutions to do no harm.

She said Dean Brooks also thought being part of a movie would be fun for him and for patients. He ended up playing a small role in the film – which was based on a 1962 Ken Kesey novel and starred Jack Nicholson – and making sure patients were involved,...