MOONSHADOW 1985-1987

With all the WATCHMEN hype it made me think of another 12 issue series that was done around the same time that is, hopefully, more bulletproof cinematically than WATCHMEN. I am speaking of the series known as MOONSHADOW.
Written by J.M DeMatteis and painted by Jon. J. Muth, MOONSHADOW tells the story of the titular character and his adventures towards becoming a man. His mother was a hippy his father a G'L Doses, a speherical alien with a big goofy grin. Moonshadow, or Moon for short lives a contented life in a menagerie with his mother and a host of other alien creatures gathered by the G'L Doses. Moon becomes enamored of one that goes by the name of Ira. Covered in fur with a bunny tail and a bowler hat, Ira is a symbol of debauchery and when Moon, his mother and Ira are ejected from the menagerie into the real world, Ira is nothing but pleased. Moon experiences death, life, war, happiness and sadness through the twelve issues.
The artwork on these is breathtaking. The words are such a part of the art that to change the style of how it is put on page would be a disservice of the greatest magnitude.
When it was first released I couldn't wait for each issue. It was bi monthly so I waited two months between issues. Then, much later it was re-released by Vertigo through DC Comics and a final special one shot that gave us the final chapter in the saga of Moonshadow.
My lovely wife bought me The Compleat Moonshadow a few years back and I devoured it, my original issues long gone to whatever ravages of time befell them. The trade paperback makes it easier to lug around, but it has one flaw. It includes that special one shot issue.
Not necessary. I got all the story I needed with the original twelve issues. The closing chapter wasn't needed.
This is a great story and with WATCHMEN bringing about a resurgence of reading comics, you might want to check this out.
This is my favorite comic book ever.

WATCHMEN (2009)

I went to see this in IMAX with my buddy Stew, my family and friends at IMAX this weekend. (Stew's review is a little further down the page). I have read what people said. I have watched people discuss it on television. It is being analyzed to death. With that I have three, brief comments.

1. It was a great movie and I will see it again.

2. If a tenth of the people who saw it decide to go pick up the comic and read it, I will be ecstatic. If that reading sends them in search of more comics then the effect will be tenfold.

3. I would like to personally thank Jackie Earle Haley for giving us the best portrayal of Rorschach that anyone could hope for. If he isn't nominated for an academy award next year for this then something truly stinks in Hollywood.

There, that's it. Go see the movie, read the comic. If you like Alan Moore then I recommend FROM HELL, the comic, not the film. And be sure to find SWAMP THING by Alan Moore. Great stuff. I envy you the first time discovery of this material.

I gotta go.

THE ZETA PROJECT

We get a lot of cartoons here at Penguin Comics to review. I had never seen this ZETA PROJECT before. Seems that it's a spinoff of the BATMAN BEYOND cartoon from a couple of years back. Now, the other day at the Compound we had our cable go out. My youngest son, Daniel, wanted to watch something so I plopped this disc in.
He was hooked. He has watched both discs repeatedly.
I decided that the best review would be a little Q&A with Dan The Man.
First, a plot synopsis:

Zeta, a robot programmed by the U.S. government to fight the country’s enemies using weaponry and a holographic self-projector, evolves to the point where he acquires both emotion and a conscience. As the value of human life became evident, he flees the government, who believes he has been reprogrammed by a foreign power. On the run, Zeta encounters Rosalie “Ro” Rowan, a street orphan who is wanted by the law herself. Join Zeta and Ro in The Zeta Project: The Complete First Season as they set out across America to find both Ro’s parents, and Zeta’s creator who can prove the robot is acting of his own free will.

Now onto the review!

Penguin Comics - First, can you tell me what The Zeta Project is all about?
Dan The Man - Its all about a robot that teamed up with Ro.
PC - What was your favorite part of the series?
Dan - The part where Zeta teams up with Batman.
PC - Who was your favorite character in the series?
Dan - Zeta and Batman and Ro.
PC - Was there things in the series that you didn't like?
Dan - No
PC - Was this a series that you liked a lot and why or why not?
Dan - Yes because it had fights and Batman in it.
PC - Would you have bought this with your own money?
Dan - Yes
PC - Was the animation art a good fit for this story?
Dan - Yes because I thought the art was awesome.

This was the most fun review I have done in a while. When I told Dan that he was doing this with me he took it very seriously. So serious that he took the day off of school to write his answers to my questions. I think that him saying that he would spend his own cash to get this one is quite a testament to how good this series is.

WATCH THE WATCHMEN

Look, I'm sick and tired of everyone, including myself just the other day (in fact), yelping all over WATCHMEN because it's supposed to be, according to Alan Moore himself (as well as thousands of rabid fans), 'unfilmable'. This is just absolutely, stunningly, untrue. What Zack Snyder has done with the source material is nothing short of breathtaking and borderline epic. Is the movie perfect? Hell no! Is the film a direct carbon copy of the graphic novel? Nope. Is the movie even watchable? Without an iota of doubt.

From the opening credits featuring bits of the comic that would have otherwise fit jarringly into the movie, to the ending NOT featuring a giant, city-levelling space squid, WATCHMEN is a treasure to behold and a wild ride comparable only to the finest roller coasters. The script taken from the comic is just about as dead on as you could want without having someone physically read it to you, which, by the way, is exactly what happens in the illustrated comic now available which also happens to be very good, only a bit disconcerting since the same GUY does every character. But, it does include a direct narrative reading so you do get an embedded BLACK FREIGHTER reading as well. Anyway, there are so many beautifully filmed scenes in Snyder's flick that it's almost too difficult to name them all here, so I won't. But I will name a few.

A) Watching Doc Manhattan lose his composure just before leaving for Mars as a mob of angry people call him out, is wonderfully done and you really do feel for him. In fact, his scene with Laurie on Mars as he tries to accept humanity as worthy of his saving is quite real as well.

B) The Comedian spilling his drunken guts out to his arch-enemy, Moloch, is so very effective as a lead in to his untimely, yet necessary death.

C) Watching Rorschach getting taken down by the Police, and even the moment leading up to it where he finds himself trapped, are so powerful and allow you to really feel his character's brooding angst.

The cast was, for the most part, brilliant. Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach was almost uncomfortably dead on that any future re-readings of the book will certainly illicit flashes of his voice as the character on the page. Billy Crudup gives just about as lively a performance as you honestly can when being ultimately animated. Yes, for the love of God, you do see his penis. Let's all get over it. I mean goodness, there's a sex scene between Malin Ackerman (Silk Spectre II) and Patrick Wilson (Nite Owl II) that could have been easily stripped straight from a Cinemax movie. Even so, both of the aforementioned actors do their parts, Wilson a fair share better, but Ackerman did deliver on the requisite sexiness. Jefferey Dean Morgan as the Comedian was like a living version of the comic page. He so solidly pulls off his 'not giving a shit attitude' that he instantly becomes the most identifiable by proxy. And, finally, Matthew Goode as Ozymandias was, for the most part, just there, but then again, that's how he was in the comic. All in all, as I said, phenomenal main cast.

Now, before everyone gets up in arms over the lack of space squid and the decision to make Manhattan the scapegoat... well, it actually ends up being better, by a nudge, than the comic. I was very fine with the changes.

So there ya go. Find a free three hours, an IMAX if possible, and get ready for a movie so utterly FILMABLE as to make even the most hardened naysayer proud.

GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT...THIS SUMMER!!

As excited as I was about the Wonder Woman flick that hit the market today, I am doubly stoked to see this film when it reaches stores this summer. Here's the press release for the film as well as a look at the box art. The artwork is so fitting the subject matter.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WORLD RENOWNED DC SUPER HERO EMBARKS
ON HIS INITIAL MISSION IN
GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT
FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO ON JULY 28, 2009!

Emmy Nominees Christopher Meloni & Victor Garber Top Stellar Voice Cast for
Fifth DC Universe Animated Original Movie


BURBANK, CA, (February 27, 2008) – The fabric of intergalactic justice is threatened – until Hal Jordan arrives for his initial mission – in the animated Green Lantern: First Flight, the fifth entry in the popular DVD series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies. A co-production of Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation, the illuminated hero’s first-ever full-length animated film is set for release by Warner Home Video on July 28, 2009. Green Lantern: First Flight will be available as a special edition 2-disc version on DVD and Blu-Ray™ Hi-Def .

Acclaimed actor Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) fills the lead voice of Hal Jordan aka Green Lantern. Meloni is joined by fellow Emmy Award nominee Victor Garber (Milk, Titanic) as the villainous Sinestro, Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica) as the voice of Boodikka, and Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs) as Kilowog.

Produced by animation legend Bruce Timm, Green Lantern: First Flight is helmed by heralded director Lauren Montgomery (Wonder Woman, Superman Doomsday) and scripted by four-time Emmy Award-winning writer Alan Burnett (The Batman).

Green Lantern: First Flight finds Hal Jordan recruited to join the Green Lantern Corps and placed under the supervision of respected senior Lantern Sinestro. The earthling soon discovers his mentor is actually the central figure in a secret conspiracy that threatens the philosophies, traditions and hierarchy of the entire Green Lantern Corps. Hal must quickly hone his newfound powers and combat the treasonous Lanterns within the ranks to maintain order in the universe.

Green Lantern: First Flight - 2 Disc Special Edition versions will include incredible bonus features such as:

• Over three hours of extra content

• Two Featurettes

• Digital Copy Download

• Widescreen (1.78:1)

• Two Episodes of Justice League hand-picked by animation legend Brice Timm

Green Lantern: First Flight Blu-Ray versions will include all the great extras as the 2-disc
Special Edition as well as an additional two episodes of Justice League picked by Bruce Timm.

“Warner Premiere along with our partners at DC and Warner Home Video has enjoyed great success with the DC Universe titles, and we’re proud to present this first feature-length animated Green Lantern film,” said Diane Nelson, President, Warner Premiere. “‘First Flight’ is a compelling story and a great vehicle to tell this iconic character’s story to both new and longtime fans.”

“In all of his incarnations, Green Lantern has stood as a fan favorite, and Warner Home Video is excited to provide fans with the character’s first full-length animated adventure,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Sports Marketing. “Green Lantern was the perfect hero to follow movies featuring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the entire Justice League.”

“Warner Bros. Animation is known for creating outstanding animated properties and has a legacy built upon some of the greatest characters ever imagined,” said Warner Bros. Television President Peter Roth, who also oversees television animation for the Studio. “Producer Bruce Timm and his creative team continue that rich tradition with this terrific DVD feature.”

“As one of the true core DC Super Heroes, Green Lantern has captured the imagination of pop culture enthusiasts with his illuminatingly human approach to justice throughout the universe,” said Gregory Noveck, Senior VP ¬ Creative Affairs, DC Comics. “Alan Burnett’s script captures the essence of DC’s canon of Green Lantern tales, and provides a fine launching point for future stories with this character.”

Apart from this animated release, Warner Bros. Pictures is currently in pre-production on a new “Green Lantern” theatrical motion picture, to be directed by Martin Campbell, bringing the popular DC Comics super hero to the big screen for the first time.

SMURFS VOLUME 1

This hits the streets tomorrow and I didn't want anyone to miss this heads up. I have always been a fan of The Smurfs and it's good to see these DVD releases of our little blue friends.

Have a video:

WONDER WOMAN!

Finally! Another in the series of PG-13 rated animated flicks from the people at DC. And this time we get the adventures of Wonder Woman. Now, I knows me some comics mythos so I am glad to say that DC was intelligent enough not to stray from the formula. We get a little girl made from clay who springs to life. But, even as origin stories go, this doesn't concern itself with the origin too much. There are bigger fish to fry, like Ares, God OF War who is Hellbent on reducing the world to an ash in his thirst for war. That's enough to keep an Amazonian princess busy for the 74 minute flick. The action moves the story along at a fairly decent clip and there are some truly funny moments as Diana adjusts to the outside world.
The art is reminiscent of anime at it's finest and I really liked their interpretation of Hades in this movie. I don't think I had ever seen him portrayed as such.
The two disc set has a ton of goodies in it, the best of the bunch being a preview of the new Green Lantern flick coming out this summer.
I think DC should just stick to these features as they stay true to the comics which satisfies the hardcore fans and they are able to flex their muscles a little with the more mature rating.
This is just as good as the previous two films and I can not wait for the Green Lantern flick coming down the pipe.

Here's a video to whet your appetite. The DVD releases tomorrow.