Mel Gibson's Apology Not Enough?

As I reported here, Mel Gibson was arrested for DUI on Friday. On Saturday, Gibson issued an apology and described his behavior by stating:

"I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said."

When the original story broke, we weren't told what Gibson had said. Today TMZ.com posted that Gibson's remarks included profanity-filled tirades against the police officer that pulled him over, as well as repeated anti-Semitic remarks. In addition TMZ.com posted what they claim to be are copies of the actual police report.

Unfortunately this is not the first time Gibson has faced accusations of anti-Semitism. In an interview before the release of "The Passion of Christ," Gibson told ABC's Diane Sawyer, "To be anti-Semitic is a sin. It's been condemned by one Papal Council after another. To be anti-Semitic is to be un-Christian, and I'm not."

Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, called Gibson's apology "unremorseful and insufficient." It remains to be seen how Hollywood and the rest of the nation will view Gibson's drunken remarks.

As for me, I do believe Mel Gibson is sorry for the inappropriate comments that he made. I just hope that he's sorry not only because he made them, but also because they don't represent his true feelings.

Mel Cleans Up His Mess

Early Friday morning Mel Gibson was arrested for drunk driving. He was driving 87 in a 45 mph zone and his blood alcohol was well over the legal limit. Today Mel issued the following statement:

"After drinking alcohol on Thursday night, I did a number of things that were very wrong and for which I am ashamed. I drove a car when I should not have, and was stopped by the L.A. County sheriffs. The arresting officer was just doing his job and I feel fortunate that I was apprehended before I caused injury to any other person.

"I acted like a person completely out of control when I was arrested, and said things that I do not believe to be true and which are despicable. I am deeply ashamed of everything I said.

"Also, I take this opportunity to apologize to the deputies involved for my belligerent behavior. They have always been there for me in my community and indeed probably saved me from myself. I disgraced myself and my family with my behavior and for that I am truly sorry.

"I have battled the disease of alcoholism for all of my adult life and profoundly regret my horrific relapse. I apologize for any behavior unbecoming of me in my inebriated state and have already taken necessary steps to ensure my return to health."

Mel messed up. No doubt about it. It's beyond stupid to drink and drive, but I do want to commend Mel for the way that he's handling this. Someone with Mel Gibson's fame and wealth could have gone the route of so many other celebs when caught in a similar situation. That is of course to deny [I clearly wasn't drunk...] or deflect [It wasn't alcohol, it was cold medicine... I was overly tired, etc. etc. etc.].

I just hope that Mel's apology is sincere and that he truly is taking steps to "ensure his return to health."

More on 300

I told you HERE how cool I thought 300 was going to be. Check out THIS REPORT from Ain't It Cool News and you'll see I'm not alone.

Brereton's Nocturnals are Back!

Dan Brereton has several projects coming out that I know will appeal to many ZONErs. You can bet that I'm going to be on the lookout for them.

This Halloween (and talk about perfect timing) all of Dan's Nocturnals stories will be collected in three oversized hardcovers. Each edition will contain a new story and new art in addition to the reprinted stories. The plan is to then continue with new Nocturnal adventures.

[For those of you who came in late, The Nocturnals is a horor/crime/sci-fi series featuring: Doc Horror, a scientist / adventurer; Eve (aka Halloween Girl) has supernatural powers and is Doc's little daughter; Gunwitch is Eve's self-appointed bodyguard (who happens to be a scarecrow... a gunslinging scarecrow); Polychrome is a ghost; Starfish, an amphibian girl; Firelion, a pyrokinetic samurai; and the Raccoon, a infamous gangster).

If you want to read more about Dan's plans for The Nocturnals, then click HERE.

I'm also hoping for a release of The Last Battle, a "gladiator" graphic novel that teamed Dan with Italian writer Tito Faraci. You can get a peek at some of the art HERE.

Zack Snyder is on a Roll

Zack Snyder is on a roll.

Snyder first came to my attention when it was announced that he would direct the "remake" of George Romero's "Dawn of the Dead."

There was a ton of pressure on Snyder, not only because he was a first time director, but also because he was treading on sacred ground [well, at least to zombie fans]. There were a ton of folks who whined that the movie would suck (even before a day of film had been shot). Snyder defied them all and turned in one of the best zombie films ever.

Snyder then turned his attention to translating Frank Miller's epic 300 to the big screen. Next to "Rocky Balboa," "300" is the movie that I am most looking forward to seeing. Check out the official site and you'll see why.

Next up for Snyder is Alan Moore's "Watchmen." You can tell from this interview that Snyder is having a blast. He must feel like a kid in the candy store... or maybe that should be a bakery.

After all, he is on a roll.

M. Knight and his Lady Take a Dive

M. Knight Shyamalan's "Lady in the Water" was getting a negative buzz well before it's release this weekend. Now that it scored just $18.2 million [just?] and came in 3rd at the box office, many people will write off both Shyamalan and his movie.

And that's too bad.

The biggest knock against M. Knight is that he creates glorified "Twilight Zone" episodes for the big screen. Sure, many of M. Knight's movies do have a big twist at the end, and his movies do have a reoccurring theme of faith, redemption, and that there are mysterious forces around us [like some of the better TZ episodes]. And while I can see where his critics get this complaint, my response is, "So what?" I love classic Twilight Zone episodes.

"Lady in the Water" is a modern day fairy tale. Perhaps we're just too jaded to get it. But, and this is a big but, if you're willing to go with the tale, you'll have a good time. Paul Giamatti is amazing in this role. Academy Award amazing. The rest of the cast is splendid. The direction, special effects and music all add to the overall enjoyment of the film. But the bottom line is if you sit back and start to analyze the film as anything but a fairy tale [which it was meant to be], it falls apart. But then so would "Little Red Riding Hood," "The Three Bears" and even a classic movie like "The Wizard of Oz."

While "Lady in the Water" isn't a classic movie [no, it's not on par with "The Wizard of Oz"] that can be embraced by the masses, there is an audience for it. To be perfectly honest, I didn't think that I was going to like "Lady in the Water" as much as I did and I'm a Shyamalan fan. And there's the rub. If a fan like me wasn't overly excited about the story, then how are you going to get non-fans into the theater? The answer appears to be that you're not.

And that's too bad. "Lady in the Water" rates a B.

Shawn Surface

Shawn Surface is an independent comic book artist best known for his work at Bill Black's AC comics and "Bubba the Redneck Werewolf." I first met Shawn a few years ago at a TampaCon. We talked about comics, movies and art. I left the show thinking that I'd like to get Shawn to do a piece for my Stallone Gallery.

Finally at this year's Heroes Con things worked out. Shawn decided to draw Sly as The Punisher. Click HERE and you can see the result.

Shawn is available for commisions and is reasonably priced. Check out his website and tell him I sent you!

RIP Mickey Spillane

Mickey Spillane died yesterday. He was 88 years old and had cancer, so the news shouldn't come as quite a shock. It's just that Mickey Spillane was one of those guys that seemed like he could live forever.

Although Mr. Spillane started his career as a comic book writer, it was his Mike Hammer novels that made him a superstar. The first, "I, the Jury" was a hit with readers everywhere, critics be damned. Spillane followed up with 12 other Mike Hammer books... 9 other novels... and a bunch of short stories. Most folks don't realize that Mr. Spillane also wrote two young adult novels [one which won a prize from the Junior Literary Guild].

As much as I enjoyed Spillane's books, I liked his attitude even more. He considered himself a writer, not an author. Spillane was more concerned with royalty checks than reviews... and his fans dearly loved him.

I miss him already.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mickey Spillane's family, friends and fans.

My Gallery is Moving!

I've decided to move my Stallone themed art collection from my site to ComicArtFans.com. You can now see my gallery there. [Well, at least 1/2 of it... the rest is going up later this week.]

If you've never checked out the Comic Art Fans site, you should. But my advice is to go when you have some time to spare. There's so much cool stuff there that you may even forget to check out my collection!

Rosario Dawson is Everywhere...

and that's a good thing!

Sometimes it seems that no matter where you turn you're going to see the same celebrity. It could be that he is out promoting his latest movie or cd. It might be that something of significance has taken place in her life and every dang magazine, newspaper and news entertainment show thinks we just have to see the latest.

And that's why there are times that you can not escape Britney Spears, Brad & Jennifer & Angelina, and even, God help us, Anna Nicole Smith.

Lately, everywhere I look, I see Rosario Dawson. [And no I'm not having flashbacks to Heroes Con.] It could be I see Rosario everywhere because she has a new movie coming out ["Clerks 2"] and a new comic [O.T.C.] with a lead character based on her. Then again, it could be that Rosario is everywhere because she is so cool.

Rosario is featured in the July 21st issue of Entertainment Weekly where she talks about growing up at times "without water, heat and electricity," movie roles, her new comic [O.C.T.], and even Klingons. You can catch the on-line version HERE, but you'll miss out on the photos of Rosario.

People magazine also has a mini on-line interview with Rosario HERE.

If you want to know more about Rosario's comic, O.T.C, then click HERE.

Yep, Rosario is everwhere... and that's a good thing!

Yeah, that's Rosario Dawson

No your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. That IS Rosario Dawson in the picture with my mug. I've got to tell you Rosario was the most down-to-Earth celebrity that I've ever met. She is so cool! I was able to get the photo at the latest Heroes convention. Heroes is always a blast, and this year's show was no exception. It was the biggest and best ever.

I plan to tell you more about it... but I'm sure that most of you are simply staring at Rosario... so I'll do a con update later.

Heroes Aren't Hard to Find

I'm going to be heading off for a little R&R so you might not see me around here much in the next week or so. One of my stops will be the HEROES CONVENTION in Charlotte. It's been part of the Zablo family vacation for years and this one should be the best ever. Don't worry, I'll tell you all about it when I get back.

Big Beatty, Jazz and Papa will hold down the fort while I'm gone.

Talk to you soon!

I'm Shakin' for Chaykin -- Pass Me That Blade!

One of my all-time favorite comic creators, Howard Chaykin, is taking over the art chores on Blade.

What to know more? Click HERE.

They're Coming to Get All of Us, Bar-bar-a!

Better watch your step. Zombies are everywhere this week.

Just this week it was announced that Brad Pitt beat out Leonardo DiCaprio to see who could bring "World War Z" to the silver screen. Seems kind of strange that two of the biggest stars in the world would be in a bidding war over a zombie movie. But there you go... World War Z is Max Brooks' follow up novel to his cult classic The Zombie Survival Guide.

It was also announced this week that Josh [”Lucky Number Slevin”] Hartnett is set to star in the movie adaptation of 30 Days of Night. I think that Harnett is an excellent choice for the lead and so does 30 Days author Steve Niles. Filming is set to begin in early August.

What's That Saying About Going to the Mountain?

I just received a booklet advertising Comic-Con International and it had this cool cover by Adam Hughes.

Held annually in San Diego, Comic-Con International is one of the biggest comic conventions in the country [probably the world]!

Although I've never attended, I've thought about going. Each year the con gets bigger and bigger... I guess if it keeps expanding and I wait long enough, it'll come to me.

A Man With Grand Ideas

I get a lot of e-mails from people who have all kinds of grand ideas about things. 99% of the time, these ideas go nowhere.

Thomas "Tiger" Vidmar recently contacted me. Tiger hosts a talk show program in Vegas. He said he was going to send me a copy of one of his programs [a call in with Elvis!] and a t-shirt.

Today the package arrived. It contained a nice workout t-shirt, a very nice golf hat, a soundtrack album [?] that he produced [!], and a copy of his call in show with Elvis.

So I listened to the call-in with Elvis. Funny and strange. I listened to the soundtrack for "Puckhead" which is a Tigar Vidmar production. It was an ecclectic mix of everything. Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong,. Gene Autry, Dean Martin, The Mighty Mouse Theme song and more are on it. I've listened to it twice! LOL! I like the crazy mix.

So then I visted Tiger's website. There I discovered that in addition to hosting a radio program, creating a "soundtrack album," and producing shirts and hats [with his "Hombre de Palo" character], Tiger has also written a book which will be available this fall, and created a series of prints featuring his character!

Tiger seems to be a man with all kinds of grand ideas... but he's doing something with them!

"Gargantarma" is Coming!

I've told you many times before about the Comic Book and Toy Show that Tim Gordon puts on several times a year in Tampa. Tim started doing the conventions about 3 or 4 years ago and they were pretty small affairs - but boy, were they fun.

My son Mike, John "Big" Beatty, John "Johnny Star-Warz" Higashi and James "The James" Howell and I would always try to make the shows because we always had a blast. Over the years the convention has gradually gotten bigger [adding multiple guest artists per show, costume contests, an independent film room and more], but was able to retain that small show feel.

Tim will have his next show on August 20th. My buddy, Bill Black will be on hand [along with star Brenna Barry] to screen "Gargantarma" a documentary which explores the history of giant women in cinema. Legendary comic artist, Nick Cardy, will be the guest of honor! Several other guests will be on hand. You can see the full details by clicking HERE.

If you're able to make it, you should plan on joining us!

The Shield: One Last Season

This is the best news I heard all day:

Variety reports that:

FX has greenlit The Shield for a final batch of 13 episodes, which will premiere in early 2008.

The sixth season is currently in production and will begin airing early next year.

At this point it looks like the episodes in 2008 will be it for the show. FX president-general manager John Landgraf has said, "Shawn (Ryan -- creator of The Shield) and I have been discussing how it will end.. I know what the arc is of the final season, almost through the last episode, and this is definitely the end of it."

I'll be sad to see The Shield end, but I do like the idea of it following it's course to a definite conclusion. [Hopefully Lost will do the same.]

Gnarls Barkley is Crazy!

If you haven't heard the song "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley, you should give it a listen. Better still check out the video by clicking HERE.

I can't remember the last time I liked both a song and the video for it so much.

Mr. T Calls Out Superman

rambo89 posted THIS on my message board and it was just too good not to share with everyone.

Twenty Years for a Quarter

It's hard to believe that the comic company that brought us Black Cross, Sin City, Concrete, Hellboy, Monkeyman and O'Brien, Conan, The Rocketeer, Grendel, Aliens, Predator, Hard Looks, Groo, Tarzan, Star Wars, etc., etc. etc. is twenty years old.

But it is.

I can remember buying the first issue of Dark Horse Presents right off the rack. Chris Warner's Black Cross was on the cover and in the lead story. [For the record, I really think it's time for a new Chris Warner Black Cross mini-series.] The rest of the book featured Concrete [Paul Chadwick's story and art], Mindwalk [Randy Stradley and Randy Emberlin], and Brighter [art and story by Paul Chadwick]. I knew this little comic company had a bright future...

So here we are twenty years later. Dark Horse has decided to publish a celebration comic of sorts. Aptly titled, Dark Horse Twenty Years, will feature art by Art Adams, Sergio Aragonés, Paul Chadwick, Adam Hughes, Frank Miller, Cary Nord, Eric Powell, Matt Wagner, Chris Warner, Joss Whedon, Mike Mignola, and many others!

What will make this even more fun is that every page will feature a different piece, with each showcasing a character from the company's rich history. As an added bonus, instead of drawing their own creations, the artists have traded titles, so they can provide an unexpected take on the characters that made Dark Horse famous!

The final kicker? As a gift to fans, Dark Horse is pricing this bad boy at just a quarter!

Mike Zeck: Limited, Signed, Rare and Original

My buddy, Mike Zeck has a few ebay auctions going right now.

Here's what he's offering:

* One of his limited edition signed and numbered sketchbooks

* Preliminary art that Mike created as possible covers to a Wally Wood tribute book

* A rare [#1 of six] Marvel Punisher portfolio [Mike has autographed all plates and is including an original sketch]

* The first preliminary sketch that Mike worked up for the portfolio

* The second prelim that Mike created for the portfolio

You can't go wrong if you win any of the auctions. Zeck is the man. [But you already knew that, didn't you?]

Checking in on 300

It's been a while since we checked on on "300." There's a lot of stuff going on.

Head over and check it out. I'll be here when you get back.

McFarlane Toys: A Lost Opportunity

McFarlane Toys, which produces the most detailed action figures on the market, has scored a major coup. They will produce several series of action figures based on the hit tv series Lost.

Series One will feature Jack, Kate, Locke, Hurley, Charlie and Shannon. All figures will be 6 inches tall and come with a detailed base and "photographic backdrop, capturing an episode-specific moment in the character's story." In addition, each figure will come with a sound chip so that you can each hear "signature lines taken directly from the show's soundtrack."

Lost "deluxe boxed sets" will also be available. The first series of Lost figures is scheduled to be released this November.

Mel Gibson Has a Brave Heart

Yesterday my son and I were channel surfing. Suddenly we came across "Braveheart." We both stopped talking and turned to watch the scene.

Mel was giving the troops the famous pep-talk. You know the one... "They can take our lives, but they'll never take our FREEEEEEEEEDOM!"

The next thing you know we were both grinning from ear to ear as we spouted classic lines from "Braveheart."

I can remember Entertainment Tonight doing a piece about "action star" Mel Gibson on location starring in and directing "Braveheart." I thought at the time, "Man, is he taking a risk!" Mel was walking away from barrels of money to do another "Lethal Weapon" and instead was directing [and starring in] a movie about some guy who lived hundreds of years ago that hardly anybody even knew existed.

We all know how it turned out.

Just a few years ago I remember when I first heard Mel's plans for "The Passion of the Christ." This time Mel was walking away from trunkloads of money for another "Lethal Weapon" to instead direct a movie [which he wasn't going to star in] about Jesus Christ. To make the movie even more unlikely to be successful, it didn't feature a cast of international [or even national] superstars and was subtitled!

We all know how it turned out.

Mel's next film, Apocalypto, is a violent tale which takes place 3,000 years ago and follows a Mayan hero who is on the run. Gibson won't appear in the film and it will be subtitled.

Anyone wonder how it will turn out?

A Short Look at Wolverine

"X-Men: The Last Stand" opened beyond all expectations earning just over $120 million dollars this weekend. That's the biggest opening ever for the Memorial Day weekend, the fourth best three-day opening ever as well as the best single Friday in movie history [$45.5 million]. Earning that kind of bank almost insures a sequel. My guess is that before the next X-Men movie comes out we'll see a film that focuses just on Wolverine.

Wolverine used to be my favorite comic character. That was back in the days when Chris Claremont [writer], John Byrne [penciler] and Terry Austin [inker] were amazing everyone with the classic comics that they were creating. At that time Wolverine was the cool secondary character that would have only a scene or two, but more likely than not, they'd be THE scenes that you'd remember.

Not much was known about Wolverine. What we did know made him an unlikely American comic book hero. He was from Canada. He was a loner. He was just a bit over five feet tall. He had a berserker rage and would actually kill those who threatened him or his friends. No other hero in comics looked or acted like Wolverine.

Of course over the years, because of the popularity of the character, he's been over-exposed. He's been a secret agent, a team leader, a father figure, a pirate, etc., etc. etc..

Even his look has changed. Hugh Jackman is tall and lean. Wolverine should be short and stout [no teapot jokes, please]. Robert Blake in his prime would have made a great Wolverine.

The classic Wolverine is still Byrne and Austin's version. Frank Miller and Joe Rubinstein's take is also a favorite of mine. Not too long ago I talked about some new riffs on Wolverine. Joe Lisner's Wolverine looks interesting too. All of these guys draw the shorter Wolverine, like he's supposed to be. The funny thing is, most folks who only know Wolverine from the movies will think that he should be drawn taller.

More Fear in Every Issue!

Rick Remender and Tony Moore have teamed up to create a really fun comic, Fear Agent, which follows the adventures of Heath Huston an "Alien Exterminator."

Fear Agent has been one of Image's most popular comics with each issue selling out! Fans and pros alike are jumping on the Fear Agent bandwagon. In fact Remender and Moore started hearing from so many pros who wanted to do a story about Heath Huston that starting with issue 5, "Tales of the Fear Agent" will begin appearing as an 8 page back-up to the main story.

So far Steve Niles, Jeff Parker, Kieron Dwyer, Eric Powell, Jason Latour, Mike Manley, Dan Panosian and many others have signed on! If you aren't reading Fear Agent, maybe it's time for you to sign on too!

Long Live the King... Or Off With His Head?

There was a time when I loved all things Stephen King. It started with Carrie which I read in 8th grade. I thought it was a really cool book. When I was a junior in high school I saw Carrie at a Midnight Movie. I loved it. It was my introduction to Brian DePalma. I still laugh when I think that I nearly jumped into the next row when Carrie's bloody hand came shooting out of the grave.

In college I got into King in a big way. I was reading everything that he published. The Shinning [great book -- I read it in a single night! and a pretty scary movie], Salem's Lot [another excellent novel with a cool, modern twist on vampires -- and a decent tv mini-series] The Dead Zone [perhaps the best movie adaptation of a King novel] ... and the hits just kept on coming [although the movies weren't always as good]... The Stand, Cujo, Pet Sematary, Firestarter, Christine, It, etc. etc. etc.

Then for some reason, I stopped reading King. I really don't know why. It just happened. I have a bunch of his novels and even some short story collections sitting on the shelf waiting to join the other King novels in a place of honor on my bookcase. But there they sit.

I did buy and immediately read Cell when it came out in hardcover. I was hoping for a more traditional zombie story, but never the less, I did really enjoy it.

Tomorrow night ABC is presenting a three hour adaptation of Desperation. For some reason, I'm really looking forward to it. Most likely I'll record it for viewing some late weekend night. I haven't read the book, but if the movie is works, perhaps it'll give me just enough reason to pull it off the shelf and see if the novel is good enough to make it to the book case.

Highlander: There Can Be Only One?

The original Highlander is one of my favorite movies.

I can remember seeing it in a theater for the first time and just loving everything about it. The classic tale of good vs evil, the blessing/curse of living forever, the coolness in being immortal and the sadness of losing a true love who isn't. Then there was the great direction by Russell Mulcahy, the soundtrack by Queen, Christopher Lambert in a role that he owned, Sean Connery as his mentor and Clancy Brown as the Kurgan. Everything came together to create a movie that was magical.

Highlander II took everything that was cool from the original and trashed it. Literally. Highlander II is without a doubt the worst sequel in history. I actually left the theater angry.

Highlander III was almost as bad.

I never even gave the tv series a single viewing.

In July, Dynamite Entertainment is releasing Highlander #0 which will jump start the Highlander comic book series. Written by Brandon (Battlestar Galactica) Jerwa with Michael (Red Sonja) Oeming, and art by Lee (Red Sonja) Moder and will set you back just a quarter! 50% of the covers will feature a photo from the movie with the other half sporting a painted cover by Gabriele Dell'Otto.

I'm going to pre-order a copy, but I have a feeling that it might still boil down to: There can only be one! [And if that's the case, for me it will be the original movie!]

Charlie Huston - We Have a Problem!

I discovered Charlie Huston's work a month ago when I read his first novel, Caught Stealing. Last night I finished Huston's second novel, Six Bad Things. Both books are among the best that I've read in the last year and both tell the tale of Hank Thompson.

Ten years ago Hank was a hot prospect to play some college baseball. A broken leg and some bad choices killed any shot of college ball and so Hank drifted up to New York where he found work as a bartender.

Things were going smoothly untl one night when two guys pulled him over the bar and beat him nearly to death. The next thing Hank knew he was on the run from the Russian mob, two Black cowboys, and a dirty cop. If Hank can figure out what's going on, he just might get out of this alive and with some of the $4.5 million that everyone thinks that he has!

On the strength of Caught Stealing, Charlie Huston jumped onto my "Author's to Watch for List." Seeing that Six Bad Things was just as good, he's now on my "Buy It Now List."

I'm putting in my pre-order for the final book in the Hank Thompson trilogy, A Dangerous Man, and also ordering Already Dead, Huston's novel about a detective who happens to be a vampire!

That means that I'll have all of his novels. He's just going to have to start writing faster.

The End of a Great Season

I guess that maybe a picture of the cast of The West Wing would have been a more appropriate banner for today's post, but I just couldn't not use that great shot of the entire cast of Lost.

I really hate that this tv season is winding down.

The West Wing is ending for good. I've tuned in since the first episode and think that it's pretty sad that President Bartlett and crew aren't getting a bigger send off.

What may have been the best seasons ever on American Idol and 24 are almost over. Medium, Lost and Survivor are also getting ready to pack it in for the summer. The Shield, Wanted, Thief and Over There already ended their seasons.

There's always the chance that a summer replacement show will end up being as good as Over There [Bring it back, FX] was or as fun as So You Think You Can Dance. But even if that's not the case, I still have a ton of novels that I'm dying to get the time to read.

And Then There Were Three - Shocking!

Remember when I posted here about the shocking ending on Lost and how surprised I was, especially since it wasn't the season finale?

Well, last night American Idol had an equally surprising ending. Chris Daughtry, who many thought would BE the next winner, was sent packing. Everyone was shocked.

And. I. Mean. Everyone.

Look at Chris' face in the banner above and you can see even he was stunned.

So what happened?

My guess is that everyone thought that Chris was such a shoe-in to reach the finals that many folks decided to vote to keep in their 2nd favorite contestant. The strange thing is that before the show started my wife predicted that it could be Chris' night to leave for just that reason. I thought that either Elliot or Katherine would get the axe.

So, who's going to win now that Chris is gone?

I'd predicted a showdown between Chris and Taylor [with Chris winning], so I'll stick with Taylor as the next American Idol. [Of course, my wife may have a more accurate prediction...]

Big Beatty Says, "Come On In!"

My best buddy, John Beatty has started a second blog. [Don't worry, his art blog isn't going anywhere!] His new on-line journal will look at his personal life, past, present and dreams of the future.

It's a side of the big guy that most folks don't get to see. So what are you waiting for? Click HERE to get there!

Heroes Won't Be Hard to Find

This year's Heroes Convention is going to be the best in its 25 year history. At this point there are over 300 guests scheduled to attend. The convention has been a part of our family's vacation for years and this year will be no exception. At Heroes, there's something for everyone.

Artist's Alley and and Indie Island will be filled to the brim with artists sketching, signing autographs and hanging out with fans. Dealers will fill the convention hall selling everything from vintage toys, comics and magazines to the latest games, t-shirts, and dvds. Comic book writers, horror novelists, publishers and editors will also be on hand. There will be a ton of informative [and fun] panels where creators will discuss everything from how to get into comics, to self-publishing to what's next for them. Gaming tournaments will run almost non-stop. And of course there is the traditional art auction.

I can't wait. If you can make it, you should. I can guarantee you'll have a blast!

So You Think You Know John Beatty?

Today happens to be the birthday of my best buddy, John Beatty.

Most ZONERs know "Big" John from his appearances on the SZ message boards, but in honor of his birthday, here are:

Some things about John Beatty that you might not know:

* John Beatty was quite an accomplished break dancer in his youth. Rumors abound to this day that he was the first choice to play the role of "Rerun" on "What's Happening?"

* John Beatty invented the "spoiler alert" used on the internet to let folks not that plot points and surprise endings are forthcoming.


* John Beatty is quite a singer. Perhaps most famous for his cover of Elvis tunes, Jim Ivey [noted raconteur, in the Who's Who of the World] continues to say, "It's not Christmas season until Big John sings 'Blue Christmas.'

* John Beatty is an accomplished actor. He appeared as the evil "Patch" in "Nightveil: Witch War" [available on dvd from accomics.com]. Rumors of an action figure are too scary to think about.


* John Beatty is an accomplished pool player. He has been known to repeatedly spot an opponent every ball on the table and still win!


* John Beatty is an accomplished poker player. He's been known to go both ways in a game of high-low five card stud having nothing but an Ace High and a ten low and beat the table where players had better lows and better highs!


* John Beatty was ahead of the curve when it came to home computers. While still in his teens he had work published in several books on computer use!


* John Beatty's comic career is full of highlights: he worked on the first Secret Wars series [which spawned the popularity of the mini-series]; he worked on the first Punisher mini-series [which kicked the backup character to leading man status]; he worked on the first new Batman book in 50 years [which was also the first comic to start the trend of multple covers]. It is also rumored that Big John, while still a child, was the first to utter Alfred E. Neuman's famous, "What, Me Worry?" line.


Although unconfirmed, it is believed that John Beatty was the first to wear the haircut made famous by the lead singer of Flock of Seagals, that Beatty encouraged Brian Setzer to give up glam rock and try something with a rock-a-billy style, that Beatty suggested that James Cameron follow up "Terminator 2" with something "Titanic," that Beatty was the first to suggest the ideas for "American Idol," "Survivor," and "What's Happening Now?"


Many people find it hard to believe that Big John has done so much in just 45 years on this planet. Speculation abounds that he is much older than that. Unverified pictures of someone looking like John Beatty from the civil war era are rampant in conspiracy circles.

Happy, Happy, Big J!

And It Ain't Even the Season Finale

If you haven't seen last night's episode of LOST yet, then you may not want to read any farther..... SPOILERS are coming!

*

*

*

*

Still here? Ok... Whoa! What a great surprise ending!

I know my jaw hit the floor when Michael blasted Ana-Lucia in the chest from point blank range. My eyes were probably still buggin' out when he then popped a couple of caps in Libby!

If that had been the season finale, I would have applauded. With a few episodes still to come, I believe that a standing ovation is in order. I knew that Michelle Rodriguez [Ana-Lucia] and Cynthia Watros [Libby] were supposed to be leaving the show. Still, ya gotta give big props for the shocking way that they went.

So, where does that leave Michael? Has he been brain-washed? Is he fully aware of what he's doing? Is Libby really dead? [Poor, poor Hurley!] And did you know about the novel [Bad Twin] that's referenced in the show and written by one of the passengers... but was just released in real life?

Talk to me, folks!

Does He Have Connery Cool?

Bond. James Bond.

Talk about an iconic character.

For my money Sean Connery WAS James Bond. He had the right mix of charisma, playboy attitude and tough guy machismo to pull off the role of 007.

Roger Moore's Bond had his moments but swayed too far over into comedy for my taste.

Pierce Brosnon had the playboy attitude and some charisma but not enough tough guy machismo to reach the levels of Connery cool.

Daniel Craig is the next guy to step into 007's tux and although initial reports were not so hot, this trailer has me thinking that he may do alright.

Why Superman Stands Alone

What are you waiting for?? Click HERE and prepare to be amazed!

Superman Stands Alone

After my last post, Murph had this to say:

"Craig, seems your very selective in your choices for seeing films on the big screen."

Wait til he gets a load of my movie pics for next month...


Surprisingly, after looking at the films that will be released in June, only one made my "see in a theater" list. That movie is Superman Returns.

Most folks who predict this sort of thing are saying that Superman Returns will probably make the most bucks at the box office this year. Who am I to argue? Although I think that The DaVinci Code may just give it a run for it's money. [Pun intended].