Say Goodbye to Kevin

This is, without a doubt, the best season of American Idol yet. We're down to the final 12 and there are at least 4 who have a real shot of winning.

Unfortunately Kevin Covais isn't one of the four. He seems like a nice enough kid and all, but I'm actually surprised he's made it this far.

Let's look at the rest of the group:

Katharine McPhee had the best performance last night and she could go all the way.

Ace Young has the right look and can sing so he has a shot too.

Chris Daughtry can sing, is comfortable on stage and knows "who he is" -- I just wonder if a rocker can actually be the next American Idol.

Bucky Covington seems like a nice down to Earth guy, but I don't think he'll be around much longer.

Elliott Yamin can sing. I mean the man CAN SING. The question is does he have the "it" factor to get enough votes to win?

Kellie Pickler is the country cutie. She's got a great voice for country music. Cute as can be... but that may get old quick. "I feel like I got tarantulas on my eyes! They're not real though!" Arrrgh!

Lisa Tucker is the youngest in the finals and without a doubt, one of the best. She... could... go... all... the ... way!

Mandisa can sing and has a great personality... but I don't think that she'll win.

Melissa McGhee has her moments, but my guess is that she or Bucky will be the next to go.

Paris Bennett could take the crown. Her rendition, a few weeks ago, of "Midnight Train to Georgia" was the best performance that I've ever seen on American Idol. The only thing that could mess her up is that her "cuteness" may wear thin as the weeks drag on.

Taylor Hicks won't win. He'll go far but I just don't see him taking the crown. I love the guy's style and he's a fun performer but I don't see him beating out some of the others. I think I look forward to his performance more than any of the finalists, but he's still a longshot to take the crown.

So, am I on the right track?

They're Coming to Get You, Barbara!

Many of you Zoners, like me, love a good zombie story. You can't get enough of "Night of the Living Dead," "Dawn of the Dead," "The Walking Dead,"... well, you get the idea.

So how does this sound:

An event of nightmarish proportions has begun! The dead are walking the Earth and tearing the living limb from limb in an endless pursuit to quench their insatiable hunger for flesh. Yet not all killers are undead. Eight of the country's most notorious murderers are being transferred across state when their bus enters a town overrun with feasting corpses! Now the town's remaining survivors find themselves fighting a battle on two sides. Five innocents, countless zombies.

If you like the sound of that, then you might want to check out Zombies! a new series from IDW written by Shane McCarthy and art by Chris Bolton. Look HERE, HERE, and even HERE for more about the series.

Checking in with Vin

I'm a big Vin Diesel fan. Yeah, even after "The Pacifier," I'll still admit to being a fan. Yep, even after "The Chronicles of Riddick."

Vin has the ability to own a screen. Watch nearly any scene in "Pitch Black" or the scenes in "Knockaround Guys" where Vin lays out his plan to get the money back and then carries through on it.

Sure, Vin's had his share of misses, but still he's taking chances and trying to build a foundation for a long career. Don't believe me or in him? Then check out this article and tell me what you think.

So What Are You Watching?

In one of the best tv seasons in recent years, 24 continues to shine just a bit brighter than anything else.

Now, that's not to say that I'm not totally digging what's going on with The Shield. I am. Forrest Whitaker is a great addition to the cast. I love how he's tearing apart the strike team as he slowly falls apart himself. Vic Mackey is still the man. So much so that I find myself knowing that he should go down for his past deeds but hoping that he finds a way to save himself and his team.

Lost continues to entertain and intrigue. Michelle Rodriguez was a great addition to the cast, but from all I hear, her days are numbered. Mr. Echo is perhaps the best new character on ANY show this season. I was surprised at how much the last episode gave away... or seemed to.

The West Wing returns tonight with a new episode. There are only a handful left and then it'll be gone. Still, it's been a great run and I look forward to the rest of the journey.

American Idol surprises me that it can remain so popular despite being on three nights a week. Of course, my family watches every episode, so I shouldn't be too surprised. Usually by the time we're down to the final 12, I have a pretty good idea who will win. At this point I still think that any of maybe 4 different performers have a real chance.

And finally, 24. This is my favorite show this season. Jack Bauer continues to be the best "hero" on tv. The writing, direction and acting all continue to be top notch. What takes this season to the next level is that no one is safe. [Former] President Palmer gets assassinated in the first few minutes of the first episode. Tony Almeda's wife dies in an explosion. Edgar Stiles buys the farm last week. [And I have to tell you that I was REALLY thinking that Curtis was going to be blown to bits last week. I would have hated that since I think that it would be cool to see a season focus on him!] I can't wait to see what's going to happen next!

So what are you watching?

Powell and Oeming on The Goon!

I've been singing the praises of Eric Powell's The Goon for more than a couple of years now. If you like great art, comic books, monsters, mobsters, zombies, witches and lots of [sometimes sick] humor, then you ought to give this book a try.

It just keeps getting better and better.

Issue 16 is on the stands now. Of course it features the writing and art of Eric Powell and is a great jumping on point for those who've never read The Goon. Here's a full look at the banner from the top of this point. Purty, ain't it.

As an added bonus, Michael Avon Oeming provides the art for a Goon short adventure written by Tom Sniegoski. Frankie and the Goon decide to rescue a baby held for ransom by a horde of zombies!

I aboslutely love Oeming's art for this. Here's a shot of Frankie and the Goon. Ya gotta love it. Here's a reaction shot that is priceless. Of course you'd understand why I like it so much if you read the story.

So what are you waiting for? It's available at your local comic shop now!

Which 3 do You Prefer?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Seems everyone today is talking about the new trailer for X-Men III.

As for me, I prefer the new Japanese trailer for Mission Impossible III.

The Walking Dead Still Rules!

I first talked up The Walking Dead about 2 1/2 years ago when the series debuted. It quickly became my favorite monthly comic and continues to be.

If you're not reading it, you really should give it a look!

The Creature from the Black Lagoon is Back!

As many of you know, I'm a big fan of monster movies. Especially the classic monsters... Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolfman, and of course, The Creature from the Black Lagoon.

So you can imagine my reaction when I found out that a new series of original novels based on these characters was coming out later this year. You can read about The Creature from the Black Lagoon's novel HERE.

Don't worry, I'll keep you posted on new additions to the series.

MegaCon Report

One of the best parts of attending conventions is meeting up with folks that you don't get to see often enough. MeganCon was no exception. I spent the bulk of the show hanging at the table shared by my best buddy John Beatty and Alberto Ruiz. Now THAT was a blast [and I plan to write about the experience in a seperate blog update].

Directly across from Alberto and Beatty's table, Bob McLeod was set up. Bob's sketch list was full and his new book, Superhero ABC was selling like hotcakes. If you have [or know anyone who has] young kids, Bob's book would make the perfect gift! Heck, I even saw fans without kids buying it for themselves!

Alex Saviuk was set up. Alex is a great guy who's been busy the last couple of years doing storyboards for movies in addition to his comic work. Alex has a true love of film and so it was great to spend a few minutes catching up with him.

Mark Pennington was there on Saturday sketching for fans. Mark had a really cool Conan painting on display. Mark said that it was a commission for a fan and the fan wanted Mark to change it so that Conan was wearing a horned helmet rather than the wolf's head. While I can understand the fan's thought process, I think that the painting would look cooler the way that it is.

Mark was sketching for fans and turning out some really nice pieces. James Howell got a Batman in the rain that was so nice that he went back to get a Joker [also in the rain] so he'd have "bookend" pieces. Matt Hollub also got on board for a piece from Mark. I would have as well, but my reference was with another artist and Mark was only going to be at the show on Saturday. Still, I know just the sketch I'd like to get from Mark, so the next time we're at a show together, you know I'll be in his line.

Although I was on two sketch lists [Adam Hughes and Phil Noto], and Alberto did me three gratis [3!!!] Stallone pieces [more on that later], I wanted to try and pick up a piece of art for a buddy who'd done me some favors.

I thought that Shawn Surface might just be the man for the job, and boy was I right. Shawn has done some work for my buddy, Bill Black's AC Comics, as well as Mitch Hyman's Bubba The Redneck WereWolf. I'd talked to Shawn at a few cons over the years about getting a Stallone sketch from him... but since I wanted to get a piece from my buddy, that had to come first. Shawn was more than up for the task. I really liked the way it turned out. I'd like to tell you that you can click HERE to see the piece, but instead you'll see Shawn and what a Mage sketch might look like. LOL. Ok, ok... it wasn't THAT funny [unless you know James Howell and have read THIS]. Once my pal, Scott sees his piece, I'm sure he'll post it on his site and you can see it there.

Gus Vasquez was there. We talked a bit about the work that he's been doing on an animation feature. I also asked him about his niece, Rosario Dawson. What a year she's had with her involvement in Sin City and Rent. We also discussed the comic, OCT [Occult Crimes Taskforce] that she's co-creating with David Atchison and Tony Shastee. Rosario and Gus will be among the tons of guests at Heroes Con later this year.

Andy Smith was there. When he wasn't sketching for fans, he was looking for something to take back home to his daughter.

Jesse "Cadre" Hansen "the hardest working man" in comics was set up with his crew. I really wanted to spend a few minutes catching up with Jesse, but the time just wasn't there. We did say "hi" a few times as we passed each other though.

MegaCon, like most cons these days, has people showing up in amazing costumes. Sometimes the folks really look like the characters that they're supposed to be.

Thor had a cool helmet and his beard and hair were right. Still I thought Thor would be taller than me. I love Eric Powell's The Goon. And he's a character that people seldom choose to dress up as. Still, I thought The Goon would be bigger than me. A lot of people choose to dress up as Batman. Although, not too many are lucky enough to have Batgirl and Robin [also in great costumes] along for the ride. But I have to admit, I thought that Batman would be taller than me. You might think that I was starting to feel like "the big man in comics" but you'd be wrong... see I met up with the Kingpin!

If you've ever been to a con, you know how much goes on. I'm sure I'm leaving out some stuff... still, I'll post my new Adam Hughes sketch tomorrow [I LOVE IT!] and my thoughts on hanging with Big Beatty and Alberto soon. If you want to see what they had to say, then click HERE or HERE [where you can actually see Alberto drawing my second Stallone sketch!]

MegaCon: "I'm Not Wearing a @#$%# Costume!"

Here's part one of my MegaCon report...

I arrived at the show early... early enough to be #2 in line. My good buddy, John Higashi had already claimed the #1 spot. We spent the time until the show opened looking at art, talking to other collectors as they arrived, playing "war" [at one point I had Higashi down to just two cards and he came back to take the lead... finally I begged for mercy and a stop to the madness].

When the show opened Higashi and I made a bee-line to Adam Hughes's table. Allison was trying to bring order to chaos. There was something like 22 dealers already in line before the doors opened. Higashi and I made the list as #1 and #2 for the "fan list." We visited with Allison for a bit and then Higashi was off and I was in his wake... but before I scooted, I was able to set up a commission with Phil Noto!

Our next stop was Josh Middleton's table. Josh does great work, but it just wasn't in the budget this time. Someday... I hope!

I then headed over to John Beatty and Alberto Ruiz's table. We were laughing and cutting up when James Howell walked by. I asked James if he wanted to take a walk around artist's alley. He said, "Sure."

So here we are strolling through artist's alley. Talking to artists, checking out the folks in costumes, greeting other collector's and just having a fun morning.

All of a sudden a guy steps in front of James and swings up his camera. James brings up his arms in a "What the heck are you doing gesture." The guy lowers his camera and points at James. The guy then brings his camera up for a picture.

I'm looking at both of them wondering what the deal is when James suddenly yells, "I'm not in a @$%*%! costume." Then it dawns on me. The guy thinks that James has come to the show dressed as Kevin Matchstick from Mage.

I bust out laughing which makes James turn a darker shade of red. James looks at me and says something to the effect of "He thought I was in a costume." I'm fighting back the tears as I point to him and answer, "You are!"

Dennis Weaver and a Different Kind of Three

What's that saying about deaths of famous people happening in "threes? Today, I'd like to discuss a different kind of three.

It was announced today that Dennis Weaver passed away on Friday. Weaver, was by any definition a celebrity. He has over 100 credits listed on his filmography. Weaver was an actor, director, composer and more.

My fondest memories of Dennis Weaver always involve my grandfather. We'd watch Gunsmoke [Weaver played Chester the deputy who always seemed to be yelling "Mr. Dillon, Mr. Dillon!"] and later McLoud [the country cop who ended up in New York City]. My grandfather and I really enjoyed Dennis Weaver in any role. So wouldn't you know it, we watched the world premiere of "Duel" [directed by Steven Spielberg]. I can remember, during commercials, my grandpa and I talking about how exciting the movie was.

Of course Weaver was known for many other roles. He starred in the Gentle Ben tv series, had a role in Orson Welles' classic "Touch of Evil," memorable guest appearances on all kinds of classic shows and headlined dozens of other movies. Still it is those three roles that I cherish most. It's obvious why.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Dennis Weaver's family, friends, and fans.

Don Knotts & Darren McGavin: RIP

Pictured above are Darren McGavin and Don Knotts who appeared together in Disney's No Deposit, No Return. As many of you have already heard, both recently passed away within a day of each other.

Don Knotts, best known as the bumbling but loveable Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith show, died on Friday from pulmonary and respiratory complications. Knotts appeared in more than 25 films and seven tv series but it was his role as Barney Fife that brought him the most awards [five Emmys] and fan recognition. Looking at Mr. Knotts' filmnography, it's obvious that he would have had a successful career even without the role of Barney Fife [over 50 years in the business, movies, tv, etc.], but the world would have been a bit sadder place.

Darren McGavin, 83, passed away on Saturday from natural causes. Although Mr. McGavin had a long, successful career in movies and on television; there were two roles that standout for me. The first was as newspaper reporter, Carl Kolchak who discovered a real vampire in modern day LA in the made for tv movie "Kolchak: The Night Stalker." [Although I was never a fan of the series that the movie spawned...] The second role was that of Ralphie's dad in the classic "A Christmas Story."

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families, friends and fans of both Mr. McGavin and Mr. Knotts.

Frank Miller: In His Own Words

The other day I linked to an article that discussed Frank Miller's upcoming graphic novel, Batman: Holy Terror!

Miller's novel is getting a lot of press and it doesn't even have a publication date yet. Of course the subject matter [Batman takes on al Qaeda] is pretty controversial.

If you want to see what Miller actually said about Batman: Holy Terror!, his work on Sin City, Daredevil and more, then click HERE for a transcript of an interview posted at Newsarama by Charles Brownstein.

Wolverine: Cool Again?

Wolverine used to be one of my favorite comic characters.

Of course that was back in the day. At that time, he was the mysterious little guy with the beserker rage. Chris Claremont or Frank Miller were penning his stories and John Byrne & Terry Austin or Miller & Joe Rubinstein were providing the art. Yeah, like I said, it was years ago.

Still the latest issue of Previews had two covers featuring Wolverine that were pretty cool. The first, the cover to Wolverine: Origins #1 is by Joe Quesada. The second, the cover to Wolverine #41 is by C.P. Smith.

I haven't read a great Wolverine story in years. Maybe one of these issues will break that bad-luck string.

AH, Everyone Wants Something

Yesterday, my buddy, John Higashi and I got together over lunch to discuss our "strategy" for next weekend's MegaCon.

For those of you who don't know, John Higashi is considered the "master" in the art of getting commissions from artists. Don't believe me, then take a look at John's personal collection.

Unbelieveable, huh?

We're both hoping to get on Adam Hughes' sketch list. If you're not familiar with Adam Hughes' art, here's a link to his site. Check it out and I'll be here when you get back.

Wow! You were gone quite a while. I can't blame you though because Adam is such an amazing artist. Now you can see why everyone - including John Higashi and me -- hope to get something from him next weekend.

I'll be sure and let you know how it turns out.

Zeck, The Punisher and a Grafitti-Filled Wall

I came across this cool Mike Zeck Punisher piece the other day. It was first used as a pin-up in an issue of Marvel Fanfare and then later turned into a poster.

When Mike decided to do a pin-up of the Punisher with a huge gun against a grafitti-filled wall he was left the the problem of what to use for the graffiti. He decided to fill it using the names of friends. In some cases the friends were "couples." As a joke he listed "Zablo and Sly" because of my admiration for Sylvester Stallone.

If my memory serves me correctly he poster was made about about 15 years ago. [Yep, years before the StalloneZone was created!] Unfortunately some of the folks listed on the poster have passed on. And in many cases the couples have split up.

Last I heard though, Zablo + Sly were still going strong.

Two Millers on Me

I know that many of you ZONErs [like me] are big fans of Frank Miller.

If that's the case, then check out THIS ARTICLE to find out about Miller's Batman: Holy Terror! graphic novel which pits Batman against al Qaeda!

You can also click HERE to check out Newsarama's coverage of a Sin City screening with Frank Miller.

No Tone

I was looking over the guest list for this year's MegaCon and was sad to see that Tone Rodriguez wasn't listed.

Tone's not only a talented artist, but is an absolute blast to talk to. He's got a great sense of humor, enjoys meeting [and messing with] the fans... and of course draws a mean sketch. Here's an example, and another and yet another from last year's sketchbook.

Batman Works

If push came to shove and I had to name my all time favorite comic character, it'd be Batman.

Maybe it's because he's grounded in reality. Well, as much reality as you can get in the super hero genre. Batman doesn't have super powers. Anyone with the same determination, will power and, ahem, bank account could become Batman.

Another reason that I like Batman so much is that there are so many takes on the character that work. Think about it...

Adam West's tv Batman was camp.

Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams' Batman was the world's greatest detective.

Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers [along with Terry Austin] explored the struggle for balance between Bruce Wayne and Batman.

Frank Miller brought us the Dark Knight as Dirty Harry.

Doug Moench, Kelly Jones and John Beatty looked at the horror/supernatural aspect of Batman's universe.

I could go on and on but the point that I want to make is that each of these takes is different, but they all work.

Currently Matt Wagner is doing a riff on Batman in a six issue mini series called Batman and the Monster Men. It's a story of Batman's first encounter with super villians.

And you guessed it, it works.

Raf's Blog

My buddy, Rafael Kayanan has started his own blog. Raf's a really talented individual. He's a highly skilled martial artist who trains celebrities and works as a technical advisor in the film industry. Raf's also an accomplished artist who has illustrated for comic books, film, games and tv.

And now Raf has started his own blog. It's going to be on my daily read list. Check it out and you may find it on yours as well!

A Really Big Mega Convention

If you're anywhere near Orlando, Florida from February 24th - 26th, you may want to check out the MegaCon convention.

In addition to George Perez, who is the Guest of Honor, there are going to be a ton of comic book artists and movie / tv celebs on hand to sketch and sign autographs. Of course there will be a ton of dealers selling the latest comics, dvds, graphic novels and who knows what else.

I'll be there looking to pick up a few more Stallone sketches. Big John Beatty will be there as a guest [sharing a table with the incredibly talented Alberto Ruiz]. If you can make it, swing by Big Beatty's table and at least say, "Hi."

It's Not Your Dad's Running Scared

Up until a few minutes ago I don't think I'd ever even heard of Running Scared. No,. it's not that old Billy Crystal movie, this "Running Scared." is being released on February 24th and stars Paul Walker.

It's not that I'm a big Paul Walker fan [although I did like him in The Fast and the Furious].

It's not that I'm a big Wayne Kramer fan [although The Cooler did get very good reviews].

What it is, is... I thought the trailer looked pretty interesting and the website even better. Let's hope that the movie doesn't let us down.

Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Roy Rogers...

My buddy, "Wild" Bill Black is a writer, penciler, inker, editor, publisher, chief cook and bottlewasher for AC Comics, an independent comic company that he created over 20 years ago. Bill has been favorably compared to Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Roy Rogers -- and that's just the comparisons that Bill uses when talking about himself!

Okay, okay... all kidding aside. Bill has been running AC Comics [the company that he really created] for over 20 years, but now he's bringing his comic creations to the silver screen... or at least your tv screen... if you have a dvd player.

Click HERE to read all about it.

I guess now Bill will add Roger Corman to his list of comparisons!

Grizzly Man: Questions...

Last night I watched a riveting documentary called "Grizzly Man" which is running on the Discovery Channel. For thirteen years, Timothy Treadwell spent his summers living among Alaskan grizzly bears. Treadwell went in armed with just a camera and no backup. The footage that he captured is amazing. What's even more amazing is that quite often Treadwell was within feet of the bears as the rested, fought, and ate. On more than one occassion Treadwell would reach out and touch them.

As I said, the footage was riveting. Knowing Treadwell's story takes it up another notch. You see, he and his girlfriend were killed [and eaten] by a grizzly. The documentary makes this clear from the very start. It also lets you know that the deaths were recorded [audio] but that you would not hear the sounds in the documentary. [You do see Werner Herzog, the man who created the documentary listening to them -- and that is quite enough for your imagination will do the rest.]

Treadwell's story is compelling and Herzog doesn't sugar coat the man. Treadwell had issues, and definitely was a bit off center, but he lived and died doing what he loved. And that is where the controversary begins...

Should he been allowed to follow his dream? Was he violating the law? Was he helping or hurting the animals that he so dearly loved?

I'd love to hear reactions from anyone who has seen the film. "Grizzly Man" rates a B+.

RIP Al Lewis aka Grandpa Munster

Al Lewis [born Alexander Meister ], who was best known as Grandpa Munster, died yesterday at the age of 95.

I can remember watching Lewis on "Car 54, Where Are You?" and later "The Munsters" when I was very young. Lewis seemed old then... but as the years passed he didn't seem to age. Another benefit of growing older was that with each passing year Lewis seemed to get more and more popular. He was always a LIVELY guest where ever he appeared.

Lewis is survived by his wife, three children, four grandchilden and generations of fans. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone of them.

Who is Keyser Soze?

The February 10, 2006 issue of Entertainment Weekly is a special double-sized issue which looks at the Academy Awards. That's not why I'm suggesting that you check it out though. The reason that I think that you might want to pick it up is for the article that tells the story behind the making of "The Usual Suspects."

Chris Nashawaty's excellent article takes us back to the very origins of the screenplay and then sheds light on the process that brought it two Academy Awards. Part of the fun is Nashawaty provides us with little tidbits that fans of the movie will love. [Did you know that Keyser Soze's name was based on a real person? That Christopher Walken, Tommy Lee Jones, Jeff Bridges, Charlie Sheen, James Spader, Al Pacino and Johnny Cash [Johnny Cash!] turned down role offers?]

Reading Nashawaty's piece not only reminded me how much I enjoyed "The Usual Suspects" but makes me want to pull it off the shelf and watch it again. "The Usual Suspects" rates an A+.

A Hamner Trifecta

Today's comic book cover features the work of one of my favorite comic artists, Cully Hamner.

Probably best known for his excellent work on the Batman miniseries Tenses, my personal favorite Hamner artwork can be found in the Red miniseries that he did with writer Warren Ellis.

I absolutely loved Red... so much so, that I'm going to give you a look at the covers for each of the three issues [ 1, 2, 3].

Don't Go Swimming...

Don't go swimming if you don't want to get wet.

It never fails to amaze me when people know that if they take a particular course of action that the end result is going to displease them, and yet they take that course of action. Shouldn't that be the definition of insanity?

If people from the Jerry Springer show call and invite you on as a guest, the ONLY logical response should be "No."

Everyone who has ever seen even one episode of Springer knows that guests aren't going to be treated as guests and more than likely are going to be repeatedly insulted and even physically attacked. EVERYONE KNOWS THIS... and yet, Springer continues to find people who are willing to show up and learn [along with millions of strangers] some personal secret that is guaranteed to shock, hurt and embarrass them.

"Yeah Craig," you say, "but the people who appear on Springer are uneducated folks who don't know better." Ok then, what about the folks who go on the Dr. Phil show, or any of the "reality" court shows. They know that they're going to come off looking foolish, but still they line up to be guests.

I guess they want to get wet.

Blue Belle Scores Two

While thinking about some of my favorite comic book covers yesterday, my mind switched gears and began to ponder about some of the covers to novels that I also love.

The first one that came to mind was the art on the hardcover to Andrew Vachss' Blue Belle. The jacket design is by Carol Devine Carson and the photograph is by William King.

This was the first Andrew Vachss novel that I ever read and of course he quickly became one of my favorite authors. I don't know what it is about the cover that I love so much. Maybe it's the noir-mystery vibe that it gives off. My guess is the cover would still be a favorite even if the novel wasn't.

Splash That Left No No Doubt

Christopher Mills is currently posting some of his favorite comic book covers on his forum. Never let it be said that I don't know a cool idea when I see it. I'm going to adapt Chris's idea a bit so that I can bring in interior art like the cool Paul Gulacy splash page to Master of Kung Fu #29.

I was already a fan of Doug Moench's work on Master of Kung Fu, but when Paul Gulacy came on board it was obvious that something magical was taking shape. Paul had pencilled several issues before #29 rolled around, but with that issue Paul was also able to do his own inks.

Now there was no doubt that this was a series to watch.

How 'Bout Some Free Cell?

Remember last week when I was telling you about how cool Stephen King's new novel, Cell, sounded? [If not click you can click HERE.]

Anyway, if you think that Cell is something that you MAY like, then you might want to pick up the current issue of Entertainment Weekly [the 2006 Preview issue]. It features the first two chapters of Cell with some cool illustrations by Tomer Hanuka.

My guess is if you're interested enough to read this far, you're going to love the novel.

Despite the Weird Hairpiece and Mustache

I'm a huge Bruce Willis fan. Same goes for director, Richard Donner. Let's not leave out actor, David Morse, who I think is one of the most under-rated actors in Hollywood.

So, yeah, I'm real excited about "16 Blocks" which will feature this trio working together to bring us thrills and chills.

Don't believe me?

Then check out the one sheet poster and the trailer.

Now, what do you say?

Yeah, you're right. Bruce Willis does look kind of weird with that hairpiece and mustache. Still, I'll bet the movie rocks.

Some Things Defy Explanation

Some things defy explanation. Some things need no explanation.

Check out this video HERE or HERE and you tell me. Peace out!

RIP Shelley Winters

Academy Award-winning actress Shelley Winters, who appeared in over 125 movies during her career, died today at the age of 85.

I'm not the biggest Shelley Winters fan in the world, but I did admire her ability to morph throughout her career so that she could continue to act well into her 70s.

Before making it in movies, Winters worked as a chorus girl and on the stage. When Winters first came to Hollywood she roomed with another future star by the name of Marilyn Monroe. Although Winters started out as another blonde bombshell, her best roles and recognition came when she worked as a supporting actress.

Not content to just act, Winters also wrote two popular biographies in which she talked about her intimate affairs with many of Hollywood's leading men, including Sean Connery, Errol Flynn, William Holden and Burt Lancaster [among others]. Shelley was a playa before the term was invented.

My two favorite Shelley Winters roles occured in movies that were made 17 years apart.

In "Night of the Hunter" Shelley played Willa Harper who falls victim to the wonderfully evil preacher, Harry Powell [Robert Mitchum in perhaps his greatest performance]. The scene of Winters dead and strapped in a car at the bottom of a lake... with her hair floating in the currents is one of the most haunting images ever. In 1972, Winters was no longer the young wife, now she was the aging overweight wife, Belle Rosen, whose ultimate sacrifice [she dies of a heart attack after a long underwater swim to save Gene Hackman] allows others to survive. Looking back now, I find it somewhat strange that she dies in both of my favorite roles and ends up underwater.

Shelley Winters died today. She leaves behind many wonderful family members, friends, fans and movie roles.

Chuck Norris is a Bad Man

Chuck Norris is a real life tough guy. Of course, he also plays one in movies and on tv. Here are a few facts that show just how tough Chuck is:

* Chuck Norris ordered a Big Mac at Burger King, and got one.

* Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.

* Chuck Norris can touch MC Hammer.

If you want to see more Chuck Norris facts, then click HERE.

Stephen King and Zombies

Civilization doesn't end with a bang or a whimper. It ends with a call on your cell phone.

So begins the book description for Stephen King's latest novel, Cell, which will be released later this month.

I first talked up Cell last August. At that time I posted:

King describes Cell as "a violent piece of work, which comes complete with zombies set in motion by bad cell phone signals that destroy the human brain. Like cheap whiskey, it's very nasty and extremely satisfying." Stephen King and zombies! Count me in.

This is the first Stephen King book that I've been excited about in years. I can't wait to read this bad boy.

Stephen King and zombies. Why that's a combo right up there with M&Ms and peanuts.

The Sleaze-Filled Saga

I like M&Ms. I like peanuts. I really like M&Ms with peanuts. I like peanut butter and I like chocolate... but I really like Reese's Cups. See a pattern?

Ok... now try this...

I like Quentin Tarantino movies and I like Robert Rodriguez's movies... but I really loved From Dusk Til Dawn.

Here's another...

I like movies and I like books about movies... so I really loved Rebel without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez.

So what does all this have to do with today's post?

Well... Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez are joining forces to create a movie called "Grind House." The cool thing is that "Grind House" will actually be divided into two separate movies [like a double feature that you could have seen at the drive-in, back when they had drive-ins]. Tarantino's will be called "Death Proof" and Rodriguez's "Planet Terror." They're even going to make some fake coming attractions trailers for the complete "drive-in" experience.

So how could this get any better, you ask [and I'm glad that you did]. Tarantino and Rodriguez are going to team to create a 250 page hardcover titled GRIND HOUSE:
THE SLEAZE-FILLED SAGA OF AN EXPLOITATION DOUBLE FEATURE that will be filled with cast and crew interviews, hundreds of full-color photographs, never-before-seen conceptual art and an in-depth history of the grindhouse genre by the directors themselves.

So we've got the movie and the book... now if someone will just remember the candy!

Conscience is a Killer

The Shield returns for its fifth [5th!] season, this Tuesday at 10pm on FX. And I can't wait. The tag line for The Shield this season is "Conscience is a killer."

While The Shield isn't for everyone, it's definitely my cup of tea. It has characters that you care about [and not always in a good way], stories that have twists, and actors [and writers] that are at the top of their game.

Emmy award-winning actor, Forrest Whitaker joins the cast this season as a tough internal affiars agent out to bring down Mackey [Michael Chiklis].

You just know that the screen will sizzle when Chiklis and Whitaker collide. [Anyone remember the great acting in True Romance when Dennis Hopper verbally jousted with Christopher Walken? My guess is that Chiklis and Whitaker will take it to that level.]

The offficial Shield web site has been updated. Check it out and then tune in on Tuesday at 10. You won't be disappointed.

Rafael Kayanan and Lord of the Rings

I first met Rafael Kayanan somewhere around thirty years ago. He was a young aspiring artist. But even then he had the talent and you just knew that this kid was going to make it.

And boy, did he make it!

Raf's had quite an interesting career so far. He's worked for most major comic publishers, served as a fight trainer on George Clooney's "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind;" did the storyboards, served as a trainer, technical advisor and fight choreographer on "The Hunted" starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio del Toro; worked on developmental art for the upcoming "Princess of Mars" movie... and so much more. You can see what I mean by clicking HERE.

I recently touched base with Raf and found out he'd just completed art on 250 Lord of the Rings collector cards which will be out in February. He sent me a scan and permission to share it -- so click HERE to see the larger version.

I don't know about you, but I think that someday this kid may go places.